Lagos State has reaffirmed its leadership in Nigeria’s HIV response as Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu officially declared the 7th National Council on AIDS (NCA) closed, with a rousing charge to delegates to embrace a future anchored on sustainable, inclusive, and resilient HIV interventions.
Declaring the 3-day event closed, the Governor of Lagos, who was represented by the Deputy Governor, stated that the conference, which brought together key stakeholders in the national HIV response ecosystem, has served as a unique platform for engagement, knowledge exchange, and policy alignment.
“Over the past three days, we have examined, reflected, and deliberated on a theme that is both relevant and bold – ‘Advancing the HIV Sustainability Agenda in the Changing Global Policy on Aid.’ It reminds us that the tides of global funding are shifting, and with it, the urgent need to reshape our national HIV architecture to ensure long-term impact and national ownership,” he said.
Dr. Hamzat explained further that Lagos State has taken deliberate steps to localize the HIV response and has scaled up community-based testing, improved treatment linkages, continued introducing innovations like HIV self-testing, and planned intensified prevention efforts among key populations, adolescents, and women. He added that the state has also invested in data systems and ensured continuous engagement with religious and traditional leaders, with a piloted service integration at the primary care level.
He, however, charged all stakeholders to ensure that the outcome of the conference sparks a renewed dedication grounded in evidence, inclusion, and resilience, as success in the effective management and control of HIV can only be attained through collective commitment.
Speaking in the same vein, the Chairman of the House Committee on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria in Nigeria, Hon. Amobi Godwin Ogah, commended the strategic organization of the event at a very crucial moment in the HIV response. He disclosed that the President of Nigeria, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, approved $200 million for the fight against AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria (ATM) immediately after the suspension of funding for the health sector. He assured that key stakeholders within ATM will continue to develop strategies geared toward actionable resource mobilization to fill gaps and sustain the progress recorded in eliminating HIV and AIDS in Nigeria.
In his remarks, Commissioner for Health Professor Akin Abayomi disclosed that Lagos is already in a strategic move to lower the cost of care and secure medicine supply as it drives forward its ambition to become a hub for pharmaceutical manufacturing with a dedicated medical industrial zone within the Lagos Free Trade Zone. Abayomi stated that the industrial zone on the Lekki Peninsula is already attracting both local and international pharmaceutical companies, with a strong focus on the production of antiretroviral drugs.
Earlier, the Director-General of the National Agency for the Control of AIDS, Dr. Temitope Ilori, who gave the opening remarks at the event, emphasized that the council is more than a meeting but a statutory pillar in Nigeria’s HIV architecture, underscoring the importance of the NCA as the country’s highest policy-making and coordinating platform for HIV and AIDS. She assured that the council will leverage the momentum gained and accelerate the implementation of the sustainability plan, ensuring that Nigerians have access to comprehensive prevention and necessary support services.
Delivering the vote of thanks, the Chief Executive Officer of the Lagos State AIDS Control Agency, Dr. Folakemi Animashaun, described the council as a milestone in Nigeria’s HIV response history, highlighting Lagos’ strategic investments in HIV services, data systems, and community-led interventions. She assured that the key resolutions adopted at the council will go a long way in scaling up innovative financing models and enhancing increased support for community-led monitoring and accountability frameworks.
