Lagos lead in HIV cases as Nigeria reports over 20,000 new infections in early 2026

Between January and March 2026, Nigeria documented 20,838 new HIV infections, with Lagos and Benue states having the highest counts, as per the National Data Repository.

Lagos reported 2,298 cases, while Benue had 1,949. Akwa Ibom followed with 1,159 infections, and Rivers and Anambra noted 1,137 and 1,013 cases, respectively.

In northern Nigeria, Kaduna saw 842 new cases, and Kano had 476. Other significant statistics came from Delta (803), Oyo (763), Ogun (751), Plateau (662), Imo (640), and Nasarawa (615).

The Federal Capital Territory recorded 579 cases, along with Abia and Edo, which reported 527 and 512 infections. Ebonyi, Gombe, and Borno saw 253, 252, and 238 cases respectively, while Ekiti, Sokoto, and Yobe had the fewest cases at 129, 110, and 100.

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In response to the rising infection rates, the Federal Government announced a commitment of $346 million in co-financing for 2026 aimed at enhancing interventions for HIV, tuberculosis, and malaria. This was disclosed by the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Pate, during the national launch of Lenacapavir, a long-acting injectable for HIV prevention.

Pate stated that the funding has already been directed by the President to be included in the 2026 budget, which will aid in medical supplies, laboratory surveillance, reagents, expansion of primary healthcare, and financial protection for citizens.

He stressed Nigeria’s growing emphasis on domestic funding in light of limited global health financing and underscored the importance of innovation and efficiency. Pate noted that innovations like Lenacapavir will contribute significantly to ongoing efforts to control HIV, tuberculosis, and malaria across the country.