The director general of the National Agency for the Control of AIDS,Temitope Ilori,has clarified that the newly introduced long-acting HIV prevention injection, Lenacapavir (LenPrEP), is not recommended for use among pregnant women.
While speaking during a media parley organised by the National HIV, Viral Hepatitis and STDs Control Programme under the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare on Monday, March 23, 2026, in Abuja, Ilori emphasized that there’s no evidence of the injection’s safety for pregnant women.
Recall that Nigeria recently received its first batch of HIV prevention injection, earlier this month,with experts noting that this would bring a huge relief in curbing the spread of the disease, however with some exceptions for pregnant women.
Experts note that while global clinical studies indicate a high safety profile for the drug, its use during pregnancy remains restricted due to insufficient evidence on its effects in that population.
“Even though LenPrEP is considered very safe based on global studies, it is not recommended for pregnant women. It is important to emphasise that this is a preventive intervention, not a treatment,” Illori stated.
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Lenacapavir was described as a highly innovative addition to HIV prevention tools but cautioned that it does not protect against other sexually transmitted infections, including hepatitis. “We must stress that it does not prevent sexually transmitted infections or other infections like hepatitis. People must continue to take comprehensive precautions,” she added.
One of the major concerns for many Nigerians is the equitable access to the drugs as well as its affordability.
In that regard, Adebobola Bashorun, national coordinator of the National AIDS and STDs Control Programme, stated that the Federal Government is working to expand access to the drug across more states.
“As we scale up, we are exploring catalytic funding to increase the number of doses and extend coverage to populations most at risk,” he noted.
He further emphasised that Lenacapavir is intended to complement,not replace,existing HIV prevention methods such as oral pre-exposure prophylaxis.
“We already have multiple prevention options. Individuals can still use oral PrEP. National policy guidelines will determine how best to integrate this new option into existing programmes,” he added.
Bashorun also noted that the side effects of the injection have been mild, largely limited to injection-site reactions.
“The common side effects include pain at the injection site, which is expected. We are actively monitoring for any adverse reactions and so far, the outcomes are encouraging,” he noted.
