A coalition of Nigerian civil society organizations has strongly criticized a United Nations proposal to shut down the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) by the end of 2026. The groups warned that such a move would undo decades of progress in the fight against HIV/AIDS.
They described the proposal as poorly timed and a betrayal of the UN’s promise to millions of people living with HIV worldwide.
The statement, issued on Sunday, was signed by several groups, including the Network of People Living with HIV and AIDS in Nigeria, the Nigeria Key Population Health and Rights Network, the International Community of Women Living with HIV – West Africa (ICW-WA), the Association of Women Living with HIV and AIDS in Nigeria, the Association of Positive Youth Living with HIV and AIDS in Nigeria, and the Civil Society Network for HIV and AIDS in Nigeria.
The Nigerian coalition, which brings together community-led and civil society groups, said it is committed to defending vulnerable populations, advancing the HIV response, and holding institutions accountable.
UNAIDS leads the global effort to achieve “zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination, and zero AIDS-related deaths.”
On September 18, UN Secretary-General António Guterres announced through his UN80 reform initiative that UNAIDS would be closed by 2026. He explained that its functions would be merged into other UN agencies from 2027.
The UN80 reform plan was launched in March 2025 as part of the UN’s 80th anniversary.
Global HIV advocates have also rejected the proposal. They warned that closing UNAIDS could lead to millions of new HIV infections and AIDS-related deaths, weaken advocacy for vulnerable groups, derail progress toward the 2030 goal of ending AIDS, and slow down the Sustainable Development Goals.
The Nigerian coalition pointed out that while the world has made progress in reducing HIV infections and deaths, the gains are uneven across countries. They stressed that UNAIDS has been a key guide, helping governments and communities build strong, sustainable HIV responses supported mainly by local resources.
In their words: “We are deeply alarmed by the UN80 recommendation to shut UNAIDS by 2026. This move is ill-timed and would undermine decades of work in protecting millions of lives. The fight against AIDS is far from over, and we still need deliberate efforts to meet the 2030 target.”
The groups warned that closing UNAIDS now could undo hard-won achievements, weaken support from global donors like PEPFAR and the Global Fund, and create fear and uncertainty in communities still battling HIV/AIDS.
They emphasized that UNAIDS is the only UN agency that puts communities and civil society at the centre of its work. To dismantle it, they said, would betray women, young people, and key populations who depend on its leadership, advocacy, and support.
The coalition added that removing UNAIDS would cost lives, break partnerships, and undermine the global HIV response. They also raised key questions about who would lead the HIV response if UNAIDS is gone and whether the UN is abandoning its promise to end AIDS by 2030.
They urged the UN Secretary-General and member states to reject the plan, instead strengthen UNAIDS’ mandate, and protect its role in the fight against HIV/AIDS.
“We support UN reform,” the coalition said, “but we reject using it to dismantle the global AIDS response. We call on the UN to stop the confusion this plan has created and to reaffirm UNAIDS’ role in ending AIDS as a health threat by 2030. We are ready to work with the UN to find solutions that protect UNAIDS’ legacy and ensure no one is left behind.”
