The Director-General of the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA), Dr Temitope Ilori, has called for a stronger domestic financing framework to protect Nigeria’s HIV response, warning that shrinking international donor support has made local resource mobilisation an urgent national priority.

Ilori said Nigeria must strengthen its HIV programme by increasing domestic investment, improving governance, expanding strategic partnerships and ensuring that available resources are deployed more efficiently to build a sustainable and self-reliant response.

Her remarks were contained in a keynote address presented during the Nigeria event at the 26th International AIDS Conference (IAS 2026) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. A copy of the address was made available to journalists on Wednesday night.

Addressing participants on the theme, “Sustainability: Strengthening Resource Mobilisation for the National HIV Response in Nigeria,” Ilori said the evolving global funding environment requires countries to rethink how HIV programmes are financed.

She said, “This year’s IAS theme, ‘Rethink. Rebuild. Rise,’ challenges us to re-examine our approaches, strengthen the systems that sustain our progress and rise to meet the evolving realities of the global HIV response. It is a timely call to action that resonates strongly with Nigeria’s journey toward a more resilient, self-reliant and sustainable HIV programme.”

According to the NACA Director-General, the theme of Nigeria’s event complements the conference’s broader vision by recognising that scientific progress alone cannot secure lasting success without dependable financing mechanisms.

“It reflects the reality that the future of the HIV response depends not only on scientific breakthroughs and effective interventions but also on our collective ability to build resilient, sustainable financing systems that can withstand evolving global economic realities,” she said.

Reviewing Nigeria’s progress over the last two decades, Ilori noted that the country has achieved significant milestones in the fight against HIV through collaboration involving the Federal Government, development partners, civil society organisations, communities of people living with HIV and the private sector.

She said those partnerships have expanded access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support services, leading to improved health outcomes for millions of Nigerians.

Despite those gains, Ilori cautioned that mounting pressure on international development assistance means Nigeria must move more quickly toward greater domestic ownership of its HIV response.

“Development assistance is becoming increasingly constrained, while competing national and global priorities continue to place pressure on available resources. This changing environment presents both a challenge and an opportunity. It calls on us to reimagine how we finance the HIV response and accelerate our transition toward greater domestic ownership and sustainability,” she said.

She emphasised that sustainability extends beyond replacing donor funding, stressing the need to reinforce the systems that underpin the national HIV response.

“Sustainability is not simply about replacing donor funding. It is about building stronger institutions, strengthening governance, improving efficiency, leveraging innovation, expanding partnerships, and ensuring that every available resource delivers maximum impact,” Ilori said.

She also urged stakeholders to use the opportunity to strengthen collaboration and develop practical strategies that will secure the long-term future of Nigeria’s HIV response.

“Today’s dialogue presents an opportunity to deepen collaboration and chart practical pathways for sustainable financing. We are here not merely to discuss challenges but to identify actionable solutions and forge stronger partnerships that will shape the future of Nigeria’s HIV response,” she added.

Looking ahead, Ilori announced that NACA would organise a post-IAS stakeholders’ engagement meeting after the conference to examine key scientific developments, policy directions, innovations and best practices emerging from IAS 2026 and adapt them into practical actions for Nigeria.

She said, “Following the conclusion of IAS 2026, NACA will convene a Post-IAS Stakeholders’ Engagement Meeting. The objective will be to critically review the key lessons, innovations, policy directions, scientific advances, and best practices emerging from this conference and collectively translate them into practical, specific actions for Nigeria.”

Nigeria operates one of the world’s largest HIV treatment programmes, with millions of people receiving life-saving antiretroviral therapy through funding provided by the Federal Government alongside support from international development partners.

However, recent reductions in global HIV financing have intensified concerns over the long-term sustainability of national HIV programmes.

NACA has continued to advocate increased domestic investment, wider private-sector participation and innovative financing models aimed at safeguarding the progress achieved in HIV prevention, treatment and care while ensuring uninterrupted services for people living with HIV.

Source: Punch