Lagos State governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Tuesday, used the 2025 World AIDS Day commemoration to unveil sweeping reforms aimed at securing the state’s HIV response against future shocks.
Speaking at the Civic Centre, Victoria Island, he reflected on the turbulent months following the Stop Work Order issued earlier this year by the United States Government, which abruptly halted community-based HIV services across Nigeria.
According to the governor, the impact of the disruption was severe and deeply personal for many residents.
“Testing stalled. Counselling paused. Home-based follow-up was interrupted. Psychosocial support systems were strained. These disruptions were not abstract. They were personal. They were real. They were felt in homes, in communities, and especially in the hearts of people living with HIV,” he said.
Sanwo-Olu, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Mrs. Abimbola Salu-Hundeyin, credited Lagos health workers, community networks and the Lagos State AIDS Control Agency for refusing to let the system collapse.
“But Lagos did not stop. We did not stop! Our health workers did not stop. Our community networks did not stop. Lagos State AIDS Control Agency did not stop,” he declared, noting that outreach efforts resumed gradually and many clients who had fallen out of care were brought back into the system.
However, he said the experience exposed a deeper truth, that the state must build a stronger, more independent health system capable of withstanding external shocks.
He disclosed that between January and September 2025, Lagos recorded 9,467 new HIV infections, describing the figure as “a wake-up call” that reinforces the need for stronger prevention, reduced stigma and uninterrupted access to treatment.
“We are determined to bring this epidemic to the barest minimum,” he said.
Sanwo-Olu announced that Lagos is already preparing for the deployment of an HIV vaccine in 2026, with trainings, engagements, budget planning and procurement processes underway to ensure the state can roll out an approved vaccine quickly and equitably once it becomes available.
He also revealed that Lagos has begun taking concrete steps toward domestic procurement of antiretroviral medicines, stressing that the State must not rely on external donors.
“Donor dependence cannot and shall not be the foundation of our future. Therefore, we have chosen to build and have started building, a state-led sustainable system that ensures consistent access to treatment for all, especially in moments of global uncertainty,” he said.
The governor further stated that community programmes would not only continue but expand significantly.
He promised more mobile testing units, stronger engagement with faith organisations, deeper youth-focused interventions and intensified outreach to markets and transport hubs.
“No disruption will ever again be allowed to disconnect our communities from essential care,” he assured.
Sanwo-Olu also pledged full enforcement of the state’s Anti-Discrimination Law, insisting that no resident should suffer shame, isolation or denial of opportunity because of their HIV status.
He said his administration would work with civil society groups, the media, community leaders and networks of people living with HIV to build a state “where compassion triumphs over judgment, love over condemnation”.
His message to people living with HIV was direct and emphatic. “You matter to us! Your health matters. Your dignity matters. Your future matters. The life of every Lagos resident matters,” he said.
He envisioned a Lagos where no one feels afraid to walk into a health facility and where staying in care is supported rather than struggled for.
Calling on partners to renew their commitment, he urged civil society organisations, NEPWHAN, development agencies, faith leaders, the private sector and residents to bring their ideas, strength and voices to the table.
“Every action you take strengthens Lagos. Every effort you give sustains hope. Every contribution moves us closer to epidemic control,” he said.
In his remarks, the Commissioner for Health, Professor Akin Abayomi, said Lagos State is making substantial investments in initiatives designed to make HIV treatment more accessible and sustainable.
He added that the government is expanding scientific research to improve HIV management within local communities.
Abayomi also disclosed that efforts are underway to fully integrate HIV care into both national and State health insurance schemes.
“In many countries, people living with HIV can now enjoy regular health insurance coverage because treatment has advanced significantly,” he said, adding: “Here in Nigeria, we are working to ensure PLHIV are included in various insurance premiums to ease the financial burden of accessing daily medication.”
Earlier, in her welcome address, the Chief Executive Officer of the Lagos State AIDS Control Agency (LSACA), Dr Folakemi Animashaun, reaffirmed that World AIDS Day remains one of the most significant observances on the global public health calendar, a moment to reflect, evaluate progress, unite stakeholders, and renew collective commitment to a future where HIV is no longer a barrier to growth and development.
Animashaun noted that this year’s theme is particularly timely, as the HIV response continues to evolve amid multiple disruptions, economic pressures, pandemics, misinformation, shrinking donor support, demographic shifts and emerging socio-cultural challenges.
She stressed that the symposium is “more than a ceremonial event”, describing it as a strategic forum that brings together stakeholders who shape policies, drive service delivery, conduct research, influence advocacy, mobilise funding and strengthen community engagement.
In attendance were the Chairman of the Lagos House Committee on Appropriation, Hon Saad Olumoh; Chairman of the House Committee on Health, Hon Lawal Aina Musbau; the Deputy Consul General of Brazil, Celso Franco; members of the Body of Permanent Secretaries; senior government officials; and other key stakeholders in the HIV response.