A recent report from the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) has revealed a sharp 55% decline in condom distribution in Nigeria over the past year, raising serious concerns for the country’s fight against HIV.

The findings were released on Tuesday as part of UNAIDS’ 2025 World AIDS Day report, which highlights significant disruptions in HIV prevention, testing, and community-driven initiatives, alongside reduced access to treatment in various regions.

Across 13 African nations, the report notes that the number of people starting HIV therapy has decreased. Alarmingly, approximately 450,000 women in sub-Saharan Africa no longer have access to “mother mentors” – community workers who help pregnant women and new mothers access HIV care and treatment.

UNAIDS attributed the decline to reductions in funding and a worsening human rights climate, warning that these setbacks threaten years of progress in HIV prevention and treatment.

Winnie Byanyima, UNAIDS Executive Director, stated in Geneva:

“The financial shortfall has revealed the vulnerability of the advancements we worked tirelessly to secure. Infants are being deprived of HIV testing, young women are losing access to prevention services, and whole communities find themselves abruptly without assistance. We must not forsake them.”

The report also underscores the heightened risk for young women, estimating that 570 girls and young women aged 15–24 contract HIV daily. Over 60% of women-led organizations providing essential services have had to halt operations, exacerbating the crisis.

UNAIDS warns that without immediate restoration of prevention measures, an additional 3.3 million new HIV cases could occur globally between 2025 and 2030. The organization called on world leaders to protect and increase HIV funding, invest in affordable prevention tools, and uphold human rights, emphasizing that communities must remain at the centre of the global HIV response.