Responding to the global HIV epidemic in a way that brings about meaningful change has been a venture undertaken by the international community for more than thirty years. A place where this task is arguably the most daunting is in Nigeria, home to ten percent of the global population of people living with HIV.
Heterosexual transmission accounts for most of the 340,000 new annual HIV infections reported in Nigeria, with women accounting for more than half of people living with HIV in the country. As in many other countries Nigeria’s epidemic requires a strategic and targeted response, as more than a third of new infections are among high-risk and hard to reach individuals.
Globally, groups most at risk of becoming infected with HIV include brothel and non-brothel based female sex workers (FSW), men-who-have-sex-with-men (MSM), injecting drug users (IDUs), transport workers, members of the Armed Forces and Police. Unfortunately, Nigeria is no exception as recent estimates show that more than one-in-six men who have sex with men and a quarter of male and female sex workers are living with HIV.
The high HIV prevalence reported among most-at-risk groups and their link to the general population should place these individuals at the centre of HIV prevention programmes. Nevertheless, HIV prevention messages are not sufficiently reaching people that fall within these groups. Laws that prohibit sex work and same-sex relations act as one of the major barriers to HIV prevention programmes for MSM and sex workers. For example, same-sex relations in Nigeria are punishable with up to 14 years imprisonment, under Federal Law, or the death penalty, under Sharia Law.
As HIV affects many sectors of society and is not confined to any particular group, expanding HIV and sex education throughout Nigeria is essential if HIV transmission is to be prevented. Moreover, gender inequality and inter-generational marriage are some of the key issues that need to be address if HIV prevalence is to continue to decline among certain groups; this is true, particularly in regards to young women (15-24) among whom HIV prevalence is 4.1 percent.
It is clear, from the recent ‘Global AIDS Response’ country progress report submitted by the Federal Republic of Nigeria earlier this year, that many targets remain unmet and factors, that result in rising numbers of people living with and affected by HIV and AIDS, remain unaddressed. Despite this, progress is being slowly made and with greater political investment and commitment universal HIV prevention, treatment and care in Nigeria can be achieved.
To find out more about how the country is tackling their HIV and AIDS epidemic, read our 'HIV and AIDS in Nigeria' page.
