LAGOS, Nigeria – Nearly 42 per cent of people living with HIV in Lagos are unaware of their infection, despite the state recording 93.4 per cent antiretroviral treatment coverage among people who know their status, highlighting a major gap in HIV testing and diagnosis.
The findings from the 2025–2026 Antiretroviral Therapy Impact Survey also showed that 88.9 per cent of people receiving treatment had achieved viral load suppression, while HIV prevalence among adults aged 15 to 64 was twice as high among women as men. The survey results were presented on Wednesday at the Sheraton Hotel, Ikeja, as health authorities and development partners called for stronger testing, early diagnosis and sustained treatment interventions.
Speaking at the event, the Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Ministry of Health, Dr Dayo Lajide, said the findings would strengthen evidence-based planning and help the state assess its progress towards the UNAIDS 95-95-95 targets. She disclosed that the 2025 HIV Health Sector Report estimated that 192,911 people were living with HIV in Lagos, while 129,977 were receiving antiretroviral therapy, representing 65.7 per cent treatment coverage across the estimated population.
This left more than 60,000 people outside treatment, underscoring the need to expand testing, diagnosis and linkage to care. Presenting the survey findings, the APIN/PHIS3 Survey Lead, Dr Ubong Okon, said the assessment was conducted between November 2025 and February 2026, covering 205 enumeration areas and 6,450 households.
The survey found that HIV prevalence among adults aged 15 to 64 was 1.6 per cent among women and 0.8 per cent among men. Lajide identified additional gaps in the prevention of mother-to-child transmission, early infant diagnosis and paediatric HIV treatment, calling for targeted interventions to improve access to testing and ensure that people diagnosed with HIV remain in care.
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