Korede Abdullah 
LAGOS, Nigeria – The Lagos HIV cases reported in recent media accounts have been widely misunderstood, the Lagos State Government says, dismissing claims that the state recorded Nigeria’s highest number of new HIV infections in 2025 and urging residents not to panic.
Speaking at a press briefing in Ikeja on Thursday, the Chief Executive Officer of the Lagos State AIDS Control Agency (LSACA), Dr Folakemi Animashaun, says the figure of 10,430 refers to newly diagnosed HIV-positive cases—not newly infected individuals.
“The figures being circulated require proper technical interpretation. Newly diagnosed HIV cases are different from new HIV infections. Confusing the two creates unnecessary panic, fuels stigma and discourages people from going for HIV testing.”
She reveals that the state conducted 504,800 HIV tests in 2025, identifying 11,940 positive cases, representing a positivity rate of 2.4 per cent.
During the first quarter of 2026, officials carried out 179,229 tests, detecting 3,390 HIV-positive cases with an improved positivity rate of 1.9 per cent, suggesting progress in controlling the epidemic.
Animashaun says the state’s HIV response continues to strengthen, with 147,904 people currently receiving antiretroviral therapy, while 97 per cent have achieved viral suppression.
She also highlights improvements in paediatric HIV prevention, noting that the Early Infant Diagnosis positivity rate has fallen from 5.1 per cent in 2020 to 1.5 per cent in 2025.
About the Author
Edino Chubiyo Cornelius 
Oluwatobi Adu 
Hussaini Ibrahim 