BY JIMOH AKEEM BOLAJI
The First Lady of Lagos State, Dr. (Mrs.) Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu has officially declared open the 7th National Council on AIDS (NCA), calling for bold, coordinated, and sustainable action to accelerate Nigeria’s HIV response in the face of shifting global donor priorities.
The high-level council meeting, held from August 5 to 7, 2025, at the Landmark Event Centre, Lagos, is themed: “Advancing the HIV Sustainability Agenda in the Changing Global Policy on Aid.”
The gathering, organised in partnership with the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA), brings together critical stakeholders across the country to chart a resilient and self-sustaining course for the national HIV response.
In her keynote address, Dr. Sanwo-Olu described the theme as “timely and urgent”, noting that as the world gradually transitions away from aid dependency, Nigeria must build homegrown resilience to sustain its HIV response.
“This conference brings together key stakeholders from across the country to deliberate on how best to strengthen our national HIV response within the evolving global health landscape,” she said.
The First Lady emphasised the importance of a multi-sectoral approach, especially to safeguard vulnerable groups like young women and girls, who disproportionately bear the burden of the HIV epidemic
“As the First Lady of Lagos State, I remain committed to addressing the unique challenges facing women and girls. Sustainability is crucial to our HIV response – it will strengthen local capacity and foster community ownership”, she added.
Dr. Sanwo-Olu commended the efforts of NACA and state-level agencies while challenging delegates to question existing assumptions and embrace innovative, community-driven strategies. She also highlighted the “Free to Shine” initiative launched by Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, which targets the triple elimination of HIV, hepatitis, and syphilis across all six geopolitical zones. Lagos, she confirmed, is actively participating in the initiative.
Also, speaking at the opening ceremony, Dr. Folakemi Animashaun, Chief Executive Officer of the Lagos State AIDS Control Agency (LSACA), urged stakeholders to seize this pivotal moment to reposition Nigeria’s HIV response amid declining international aid.
“Millions of Nigerians still need uninterrupted, stigma-free access to life-saving HIV services”, said Dr. Animashaun. “In Lagos, we are not perfect, but we are intentional.”
She outlined bold steps being taken by the Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s administration to upscale access to Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP), pilot long-acting injectable HIV treatments, and review data and budgeting systems to better align with national priorities.
“We are working to strengthen health systems across all 20 LGAs and 37 LCDAs, with a focus on service integration,” she said. “This includes aligning HIV programming with mental health, sexual and reproductive health, and gender-based violence (GBV) response services.”
Dr. Animashaun, however, expressed profound appreciation to the First Lady for her unwavering dedication to health equity, particularly in protecting the dignity and well-being of women, children, and other vulnerable populations.
