The Federal Government has unveiled the National HIV Prevention Plan 2026–2030, shifting from reactive treatment to proactive, development-focused interventions to prevent infections and strengthen Nigeria’s human capital for sustainable growth nationwide.

Speaking at the inauguration on Wednesday in Abuja, Kachallom Daju, represented by Dr Bilqisu Idris, affirmed the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare’s full commitment to successful implementation of the Plan nationwide.

The inauguration highlighted a dual-track approach balancing immediate clinical needs with long-term developmental prevention strategies designed to reduce infections and strengthened resilience across populations nationwide.

Government officials, civil society organisations, traditional and religious leaders, and development partners were urged to collaborate collectively in implementing the plan to ensure measurable outcomes and sustained progress in HIV prevention efforts.

The National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) and its partners said the inauguration marked the beginning of a journey toward a healthier, HIV-resilient Nigeria anchored in values, prevention, and generational investment strategies.

Ms Daju highlighted the overdue prioritisation of primary prevention, stressing that sustainable public health outcomes were achieved not only by treating illness but by preventing it through upstream investment in human development systems nationwide.

“The cultivation of self-respect, foresight, responsibility, and critical thinking among adolescents and young people represents an approach that transcends HIV itself. By investing in these competencies, we are strengthening overall health literacy and resilience in our population,” she said.

She further stressed that clinical services, biomedical interventions, and treatment-as-prevention remained central pillars of the response, noting that the values-based approach enhanced rather than replaced existing biomedical strategies within Nigeria’s HIV framework.

Also addressing the event,Director-General of NACA, Dr Temitope Ilori, outlined the strategic vision underpinning the plan and its long-term objectives for national HIV prevention efforts.

Ms Ilori described it as a “fundamental reimagining” of Nigeria’s approach to HIV prevention, shifting from reactive, risk-based models to a holistic, proactive, development-oriented framework addressing broader societal drivers nationwide.

“In August 2025, the National Council on AIDS endorsed a strategic pivot: from chasing the epidemic to outrunning it.

“Nine out of ten new adult infections now occur among ordinary Nigerians,” she said.

She added, “Clearly, we cannot treat our way out of this epidemic alone,” emphasising the urgency of shifting toward prevention strategies that addressed widespread vulnerabilities across general populations nationwide effectively.

She emphasised that HIV prevention was now a societal responsibility, with schools, sports fields, religious gatherings, and community meetings serving as critical frontlines for awareness, behavioural change, and sustained community engagement nationwide.

“The plan aims to cultivate an “internal compass” in young Nigerians, self-respect, belonging, curiosity, foresight, responsibility, and critical thinking, foundational skills extending beyond health to citizenship and nation-building,” she said.

She urged sectors to integrate HIV prevention objectives into their annual strategic plans, leveraging existing structures to create a sustainable ecosystem that delivered long-term generational impact across communities nationwide.

She noted  “By mobilising every sector into a comprehensive ecosystem of action, we are not merely preventing a virus; we are building human capital, fostering a safer, healthier, more prosperous Nigeria.”

Giving an overview of the plan, Adviser on Science Systems and Services at UNAIDS,Samuel Anya, emphasised youth-focused strategies, internal value building, and data-driven approaches to curb new infections nationwide effectively.

“At the plan’s inauguration, a technical team representative highlighted that previous prevention efforts largely targeted high-risk populations, leaving a significant gap among adolescents and young people.

“Data from the National Data Consortium study indicated that only 0.2–1.2 per cent of resources reached the general population,” he said, highlighting the urgent need for broader inclusive prevention investments nationwide.

Mr Anya said the new strategy aimed to fill the gap by building internal values among youth, including self-respect, responsibility, curiosity management, and social connectedness across diverse communities nationwide.

He said parents, guardians, influencers, and community leaders were tasked with fostering protective environments that enabled young people to make safe, informed choices independently and responsibly across different social contexts nationwide.

“We are creating multiple pathways to prevent risk-taking rather than relying on parachute-like interventions after the fact. The plan is proactive, focused on preventing new infections before they occur,” he said.

He added that the plan also aimed at mitigating collateral consequences, reinforcing a comprehensive approach that addressed both immediate and long-term challenges associated with HIV prevention and youth vulnerability nationwide.

(NAN)