Nigeria ranks third among countries with the highest burden of Human Immuno-Deficiency Virus (HIV) infection in the world. The 2019 Nigeria National HIV/AIDS Indicator and Impact Survey found that 1.9 million people are living with HIV and AIDS in Nigeria as at 2018. However, HIV and AIDS are far more prevalent among people in prisons and high-risk drug users, in particular people who inject drugs (PWIDs). According to recent UNODC studies on HIV prevalence in Nigerian prisons and on drug use in Nigeria, 2.8% of people in prisons and 9% of people who inject drugs (PWIDs) live with HIV/AIDS. These figures are much higher than the 1.4% prevalence rate among the general population.
Our work
As a co-sponsor of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), UNODC supports Nigeria in achieving universal access to comprehensive HIV prevention, treatment, care and support services for PWIDs and people in prisons. More specifically, UNODC provides advocacy, normative guidance and technical support. More recently, efforts have been particularly focused on improving evidence-based policy review and development, capacity building and promoting human rights-based, gender-responsive, public health-centered and evidence-based approaches, and eliminating stigma, discrimination and violence of harm reduction interventions among PWIDs.
Our partners
Key partners for UNODC's work on HIV/AIDS include, amongst others, the Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH), the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA), Nigeria Correctional Service (NCoS), and People Living with HIV (PLHIV). Others are People who use drugs (PWUD) networks, inmates in custodial centers of the Nigerian Correctional Service, staff of the Nigerian Correctional Service, USAID, PEPFAR, Global Fund, other UN agencies (UNAIDS, WHO, UNFPA, UNWomen and UNDP) as well as relevant civil society organizations (CSOs).
Our projects
