By Emmanuel Onyedika
The Lagos State Government has dismissed reports that the state recorded 10,430 new HIV infections in 2025, clarifying that the figure represents newly diagnosed cases rather than fresh infections.
At a press briefing on Thursday at the Bagauda Kaltho Press Centre, Chief Executive Officer of the Lagos State AIDS Control Agency (LSACA), Dr. Folakemi Animashaun, explained that the widely circulated figure was misinterpreted and risked creating unnecessary panic.
She noted that many of those diagnosed may have contracted the virus years earlier but only recently came forward for testing. “The number widely reported refers to newly diagnosed HIV-positive cases, not necessarily new infections that occurred within the year. These are two very different public health indicators,” she said.
Animashaun stressed that Lagos, as Nigeria’s most populous state and a major healthcare referral hub, naturally records higher testing volumes and referrals from across the country. Stronger surveillance systems, she added, lead to higher case detection and should not be misconstrued as worsening epidemic control.
To underscore progress, she revealed that Lagos conducted 504,800 HIV tests in 2025, identifying 11,940 positive cases with a 2.4% positivity rate. In the first quarter of 2026, 179,229 tests were carried out, detecting 3,390 positive cases, with the positivity rate dropping further to 1.9%.
She described the declining positivity rate despite expanded testing as a significant epidemiological indicator of improving epidemic control. Currently, 147,904 persons are receiving antiretroviral treatment in Lagos, with 97% achieving viral suppression, one of the strongest HIV treatment outcomes in Nigeria.
In a historic move, Lagos also announced that it has begun direct procurement of antiretroviral drugs, becoming the first sub-national government in Nigeria to do so.