The Nigerian Business Coalition Against AIDS partnered with Access Holdings to provide free HIV testing to over 2,000 participants at the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon 2025 to promote public health and reduce the spread of HIV/AIDS in the country.
According to a statement, the initiative, which took place recently in Lagos also sensitised more than 3,000 individuals on HIV prevention and distributed over 2,000 educational materials and condoms to participants.
The exercise came at a critical time, following the decision by United States President Donald Trump to pause all foreign aid funding for 90 days, a move that directly impacts the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief. PEPFAR currently supports over 1.5 million HIV-positive Nigerians and funds about 70 per cent of the country’s annual HIV response budget.
A member of Access Holdings’ Sustainability Team, Esther Graham, stated that the initiative was necessary for private-sector collaboration in tackling Nigeria’s HIV crisis.
“It has never been more important to have programmes and collaborations like this, and Access Holdings is proud to be a part of this initiative,” she remarked. “With Nigeria having one of the highest HIV/AIDS burdens in Sub-Saharan Africa, it is vital that we take decisive actions to create awareness and give access to free HIV/AIDS testing services.”
Similarly, a member of the African HIV Control Working Group and former Chief Executive Officer of NIBUCAA, Dr Jekwu Ozoemene, called on the Nigerian government to act swiftly, warning, “The government urgently needs to prepare an emergency plan to ensure that the 1.9 million HIV-positive Nigerians have secure access to treatment, monitoring, and support in the event that external funding for HIV is halted or curtailed. We must take full ownership of our national HIV response. If we don’t act swiftly, people will die.”
Access Bank pointed out that it is a key partner of NIBUCAA and has continued to work with over 20 top Nigerian businesses, including the Dangote Group and Shell Development Company of Nigeria, to combat HIV/AIDS.
Through community outreach and advocacy efforts, the coalition aims to strengthen Nigeria’s healthcare system and ensure access to quality HIV/AIDS services.
NIBUCAA reaffirmed its commitment to mobilising the private sector in the fight against HIV/AIDS, pledging to push for stronger public health policies and community-driven interventions. It stressed that with dwindling international support, local businesses and stakeholders must take the lead in safeguarding Nigeria’s HIV response.
