Senior physicians in Nigeria have voiced concerns that the country may experience a surge in new Human Immunodeficiency Virus and other sexually transmitted infections, following a 55 per cent decline in condom distribution across the nation.
The medical professionals emphasized that condoms remain one of the most accessible and effective preventive tools, especially for young people and high-risk groups. They pointed out that a reduced availability of condoms could widen existing gaps in sexual health access, subsequently increasing exposure to HIV and other infections among Nigerians.
These experts were reacting to a report from the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS, which revealed the significant drop in condom distribution over the past year. UNAIDS stated at the launch of its 2025 World AIDS Day report, ‘Overcoming Disruption, Transforming the AIDS Response’: “Nigeria recorded a 55 per cent drop in condom distribution.”
The UN agency warned that a failure to restore prevention efforts could potentially lead to an additional 3.3 million new HIV infections between 2025 and 2030. Currently, HIV remains a major public health challenge in Nigeria, with approximately two million Nigerians living with the infection, and a recent survey by the National Agency for the Control of AIDS indicating a national HIV prevalence of 1.3 per cent.
New HIV infections have risen by eight per cent and AIDS-related deaths by 10 per cent since 2019, according to the World Health Organisation, which highlights critical gaps in prevention, testing, treatment, and care services, particularly for key populations.
These concerns are compounded by the fact that the US Government paused all foreign assistance in January, which had an immediate impact on the delivery of life-saving HIV medicines and the provision of HIV prevention services.
Experts, speaking exclusively to The PUNCH, warned that the sharp drop highlighted by UNAIDS poses a major setback to ongoing national efforts aimed at curbing the spread of sexually transmitted infections. They have also raised concerns that the lack of funds could negatively affect the availability of drugs and testing kits, potentially stalling progress toward ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.
Professor Lawrence Ogbonnaya, a Professor of Infectious Diseases Epidemiology and Control at Ebonyi State University and a researcher on HIV/TB Management Control, suggested that the risky sexual behaviour among Nigerians, coupled with a drop in condom circulation, may predispose many to infections. He stated: “When people have multiple sexual partners, and they are not practising protected sex — which means using a condom — the likelihood of contracting HIV and other sexually transmitted infections increases,” he said.
Ogbonnaya affirmed that while condoms do not offer absolute protection, the decline in distribution would inevitably drive up infection rates.
He explained: “We know that young people engage in what we call high-risk behaviour around sex. They do things that enhance HIV transmission. If they use condoms, it protects to an extent — although condoms still have up to a 7–10% failure rate for many reasons. “But generally, condoms are known to protect against sexually transmitted infections, even though they are not an absolute protection. So, if there is a decline in condom distribution in the country, in principle, it will negatively impact HIV transmission,” he said.
The infectious disease expert urged the government to invest heavily in health and address the supply disruption, given the country’s existing challenges with funding shortfalls and rising treatment demands. He advised: “So what the government needs to do is take charge of the health sector and understand that if they don’t invest in health, nobody will do it for us. We must put more money into the health system to ensure good health. There is no other way,” Ogbonnaya said.
Regarding whether the government should make condoms free, Ogbonnaya disagreed: “Sex is a personal thing. I wouldn’t advise the government to make condoms free. Instead, perhaps condom services should become part of what health insurance covers. In that case, people are contributing towards it, and the government is contributing. It shouldn’t be free.”
He prioritized other health needs for free services: “We have more serious needs. If there is any service that should be free, it should be malaria treatment — it is killing more people than HIV/AIDS. Even at the peak of HIV in Nigeria, malaria was killing more people. So no, I would not advise the government to make condoms free.” However, he noted that local production could reduce costs: “However, if Nigeria had an enabling environment for manufacturers to produce condoms locally, the price would come down,” he said.
Professor Tanimola Akande, a Professor of Public Health at the University of Ilorin, Kwara State, described the drop in condom distribution as “massive.” According to him, condoms are primarily used as contraceptives and for the prevention of STIs like HIV/AIDS.
He noted that a 55 per cent drop in condom distribution is massive and can significantly increase the transmission of HIV/AIDS and unwanted pregnancies, especially among teenagers. He elaborated on the consequences: “The sharp decline in distribution will certainly affect the availability of condoms, which are used to prevent HIV/AIDS and unintended pregnancies. Unwanted pregnancies will lead to increased population, rise in unsafe abortions, abandoned babies, and school drop out, particularly among school-age girls.”
Professor Akande further warned of the severe impact on public health goals: “HIV Transmission will be on the increase, and this will reverse the gains made over the years in reducing the prevalence of HIV/AIDS in Nigeria. Sadly, the cut in US support for the control of HIV/AIDS will make treatment more difficult to access in Nigeria. A rise in the prevalence of HIV/AIDS has effects on health care delivery and also has economic implications for the country,” he said.
The seasoned public health physician urged the government to intensify efforts to reduce the supply and distribution gap by allocating funds to procure and subsidize the cost of condoms. He also stressed the importance of intensifying health education on risky sexual behaviour, particularly targeting teenagers and young adults.
For practical strategies to bridge the distribution gap, he recommended: “The government should intensify efforts to produce condoms locally. Nigeria should be able to produce enough condoms locally. Industries that are interested in investing in condom production can be encouraged with tax waivers.”
