Federal Government has expressed its commitment to ending HIV/AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.

This, it said, would be achieved by strengthening domestic financing, expanding prevention, treatment, and care services and ensuring the elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV in the country.

To this end, it said it would today begin the rollout of long-acting injectable Lenacapavir for HIV prevention in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

According to the government, about 52,000 doses of the LEN PrEP have been provided to catalyse the introduction of LEN in the country’s armaments for HIV prevention and control.

It further stated that Anambra, Ebonyi, Gombe, Kwara, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Benue states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) had been selected for the rollout of LEN PrEP in the country.

The Minister of State for Health, Dr Adekunle Salako, who stated this in Abuja while briefing journalists on the introduction of Lenacapavir for pre-exposure prophylaxis of HIV infection in Nigeria, said the country had made significant progress in reducing new HIV infections through the scale-up of HIV prevention programmes, adding that the introduction of Lenacapavir into the national HIV prevention programme was expected to accelerate the reduction of new HIV infections and expand prevention coverage among populations at substantial risk.

In her remarks, the Director, Special Projects at the Institute of Human Virology of Nigeria (IHVN), Dr Aderonke Agbaje, said the launch of Lenacapavir (Len PrEP) was a significant milestone in Nigeria’s HIV prevention response because it would expand the range of prevention options available to people at risk of HIV infection.

MEANWHILE, the European Union (EU) has announced a €288 million support package for Nigeria, targeting key sectors, including healthcare, agriculture, finance, migration, climate, and digital public infrastructure.

The EU delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS disclosed this at the EU-Nigeria Ministerial News Conference in Abuja, noting that the funding forms part of a renewed commitment under the EU-Nigeria partnership.

The initiative is aligned with the EU’s Global Gateway Strategy, aimed at accelerating investment and strengthening economic cooperation with Nigeria.

The Director General for International Partnerships at the European Commission, Stefano Signore, said the funding reflected increased EU investment in Nigeria’s development.

He noted that healthcare and agriculture remained the priority sectors, particularly in improving infrastructure, local manufacturing and inclusion.

He added that the EU was also strengthening cooperation on migration by supporting better opportunities for returnee migrants.

The Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Abubakar Bagudu, said the development was built on the 2023 EU-Nigeria Strategic Dialogue, which deepened bilateral relations and launched the EU’s Global Gateway Strategy in Nigeria.

The Managing Director of the Bank of Industry, Olasupo Olusi, said the partnership would channel long-term financing into critical sectors such as healthcare and agriculture.