Nigeria has begun rolling out Lenacapavir, a long-acting HIV prevention injection that offers protection against HIV with just two doses a year.
The National Agency for the Control of AIDS said the drug is being introduced as a preventive option, not a treatment for people already living with HIV.
Director-General of NACA, Temitope Ilori, said pregnant women will not be included in the current rollout because there is not yet enough safety evidence to support routine use during pregnancy.
The pilot phase will begin in eight states, Anambra, Ebonyi, Gombe, Kwara, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Benue, and the Federal Capital Territory.
Health officials say the introduction of Lenacapavir is part of wider efforts to expand access to new HIV prevention tools, especially for people at higher risk of infection.
The medicine has drawn global attention because it is administered once every six months, making it one of the longest-acting HIV prevention options currently available.
Its cost remains high in some markets, but international access partnerships are expected to make it available at a far lower price in lower-income countries, including Nigeria.
Public health experts say the new injection could strengthen HIV prevention efforts, but warn that it does not replace safer sexual behaviour or protect against other sexually transmitted infections.
