AHF Intensifies Condom Advocacy as STIs Rise in Nigeria
AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) Nigeria has announced plans to take its condom advocacy campaign directly to the streets and university campuses as sexually transmitted infections (STIs) continue to rise in Nigeria and globally.
The Foundation, in a statement issued on Monday ahead of the 2026 International Condom Day (ICD), warned that neglecting prevention efforts could reverse decades of progress made in the fight against HIV.
As part of activities to mark the annual event, AHF said it will host public engagements in Anambra State and Abuja under the campaign theme, “Just Use It.” The activities will include road walks, free condom distribution, HIV testing and comprehensive sexual health education.
AHF noted that the global resurgence of STIs, particularly syphilis, is closely linked to shrinking prevention funding and reduced emphasis on condom use. It cautioned that without urgent action, rising STI rates could be followed by an increase in new HIV infections.
“Each condom used helps protect decades of progress in the global HIV response and prevents far more costly setbacks,” the Foundation said. It stressed that reversing current trends does not require new scientific breakthroughs, but political will, sustained investment and a renewed commitment to making condoms free, affordable and widely accessible.
Road walk and campus engagement
According to the statement, a road walk will be held in Anambra State on 12 February, during which volunteers and partners will distribute free AHF-branded Love and Icon condoms, provide condom education and offer free HIV testing to members of the public.
On 13 February, the campaign will move to the University of Abuja, where AHF will host a prevention symposium for students of the Faculty of Media and Communications Studies. The symposium will focus on addressing rising STI rates and preventing new HIV infections, while the AHF Abuja Wellness Centre will also offer free STI screening.
The Foundation said the activities are aimed at making sexual health protection accessible and stigma-free, particularly for young people.
Nigeria’s HIV burden
Data from the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) show that Nigeria’s adult HIV prevalence among people aged 15–49 stands at about 1.3–1.4 per cent, with an estimated 1.9 million Nigerians living with HIV. This places Nigeria among countries with the largest HIV epidemics globally and the highest in West and Central Africa.
NACA added that states such as Rivers, Benue and Akwa Ibom record some of the highest numbers of people living with HIV, while urban centres like Lagos and the Federal Capital Territory also report high case counts.
In December, PREMIUM TIMES reported on AHF’s World AIDS Day activities in Nasarawa State, which focused on expanding STI services and testing to address persistent gaps in prevention, screening and care.
‘Africa must do more with less’
Speaking on the campaign, AHF’s Africa Bureau Chief, Martin Matabishi, said the continent is under increasing strain as donor funding declines, making prevention efforts more critical than ever.
He noted that while HIV and STI burdens remain high across Africa particularly syphilis and congenital syphilis countries are being forced to do more with fewer resources.
“Condoms are cheap, effective and proven, yet too often people cannot access them or face stigma for using them. With donor funding shrinking, governments must increase domestic health financing and remove barriers to access so condoms are freely and widely available,” Mr Matabishi said.
He warned that cutting back on prevention would result in “more infections, higher costs and lives lost in the future.”
Similarly, AHF Nigeria’s Country Programme Director, Echey Ijezie, said the campaign is about reinforcing a simple but proven message.
“We are reminding everyone that condoms remain the best and most cost-effective way to prevent HIV, other STIs and unplanned pregnancies,” he said.
AHF concluded that the ongoing global surge in STIs is a clear consequence of declining prevention efforts, stressing that renewed investment in condom advocacy remains essential to protecting public health.