Nigeria and 61 other countries have recorded significant reductions in funding for HIV prevention programmes, raising concerns over a possible setback in global efforts to curb new infections, according to the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS).
The agency disclosed that international funding cuts have severely affected access to key HIV prevention services, including pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), condom distribution, and community-based outreach programmes. Data released by UNAIDS showed that the number of people receiving PrEP across the affected countries dropped by about 38 per cent in 2025, declining from 3.3 million in 2024 to 2.1 million.
Nigeria was listed among the countries experiencing the impact of the funding reductions, alongside Cameroon, Uganda and several other nations with significant HIV burdens. UNAIDS warned that the decline in prevention services could reverse years of progress made in reducing new HIV infections and AIDS-related deaths.
The agency’s Executive Director, Winnie Byanyima, described the situation as one of the most serious disruptions to HIV services since the global response to the epidemic began. She noted that cuts in donor support, coupled with growing challenges facing vulnerable populations, could lead to rising infection rates in the coming years if urgent action is not taken.
UNAIDS further revealed that funding for condoms had fallen by more than 90 per cent in some countries, while HIV testing services declined sharply in several high-burden nations, making it more difficult to identify and treat new cases early.
Despite the challenges, the number of people receiving antiretroviral treatment globally rose modestly to 32.1 million by the end of 2025, suggesting that many countries have prioritised treatment programmes even as prevention efforts face increasing financial constraints.
UNAIDS called on governments, development partners and international donors to strengthen investments in HIV prevention and community-led interventions to sustain gains made in the fight against the disease and prevent a resurgence of the epidemic.
