FIC Report (Lagos State) – The National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) has cautioned journalists and social media influencers against misinformation, stigma and sensational reporting on HIV prevention, warning that inaccurate narratives could undermine efforts to curb new infections in Nigeria.
The agency said the media and digital community had a critical role to play in improving public understanding of HIV prevention, particularly the use of Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP), an HIV prevention option for people who are HIV-negative but may be at risk of acquiring the virus.
Director-General of NACA, Dr Temitope Ilori, gave the warning on Thursday in Lagos while declaring open a national training for journalists and social media influencers on HIV PrEP, organised by NACA in collaboration with the World Health Organisation (WHO).
Ilori said Nigeria’s HIV response could not be sustained by providing medicines and prevention services alone, stressing that access to accurate and reliable information was equally essential to enabling people to make informed decisions about their health.
According to her, while PrEP had proved to be a highly effective HIV prevention option for eligible HIV-negative people, its impact on Nigeria’s national response would depend largely on public awareness, proper understanding, accessibility and willingness to use the intervention.“PrEP is a highly effective HIV prevention option for people who are HIV-negative and may be at risk of acquiring HIV. However, its effectiveness in the national response depends not only on availability, but also on awareness, correct understanding, accessibility and willingness to use it”, she said.
The NACA chief described journalists and social media influencers as strategic partners in the country’s HIV response, noting that their platforms had the capacity to shape public opinion, influence behaviour and reach millions of Nigerians.
She, however, expressed concern that the proliferation of misinformation and sensational content could have the opposite effect by creating fear, deepening misconceptions and discouraging people from seeking HIV prevention and treatment services.“In the age of misinformation and sensational content, inaccurate information about HIV prevention can create fear, reinforce stigma and discourage people from accessing services,”Ilori warned.
She therefore urged media professionals and digital influencers to make accuracy, evidence and responsible communication the foundation of their HIV-related reports and content.
Ilori said their responsibility extended beyond simply reporting on HIV, urging them to explain prevention options in clear and accessible language and provide audiences with the information required to make informed choices.
She specifically challenged participants to help answer questions that people might be reluctant to ask publicly, including who can use PrEP, how it works, where it can be accessed and the options available for preventing HIV. “We need you to help answer the questions people may be afraid to ask: Who can use PrEP? How does it work? Where can it be accessed? What are the options available? And perhaps most importantly, how can people protect themselves from HIV without fear or shame?”she said.
The renewed emphasis on HIV prevention comes as Nigeria implements its National Strategic Plan for HIV and AIDS 2026–2030, which prioritises sustainability, innovation, stronger partnerships and increased community engagement in the national HIV response.
Against this backdrop, the agency’s focus on PrEP is aimed at strengthening combination HIV prevention and ensuring that Nigerians who may be at increased risk of infection are aware of and can make informed decisions about available prevention options.
PrEP is designed for people who do not have HIV but may have a higher likelihood of acquiring the virus. It involves taking HIV prevention medicine before potential exposure to reduce the risk of infection and is distinct from a vaccine.
Ilori stressed that expanding awareness of PrEP was therefore crucial to ensuring that eligible Nigerians understood the intervention and could make informed choices about their sexual and reproductive health.
She also called for an end to judgmental and stigmatising narratives in HIV reporting, urging journalists and influencers to humanise the issue and create platforms where members of the public could seek information without fear, embarrassment or discrimination.
“Your stories should humanise HIV prevention. Your content should encourage conversations rather than judgment. And your platforms should become trusted sources of credible health information,”she said.
The NACA DG further urged participants to see the training not as a one-off engagement but as the beginning of a sustained partnership between the agency, the mainstream media and Nigeria’s rapidly expanding digital community.
She said such collaboration was necessary to counter misinformation, stimulate demand for HIV prevention services and contribute to reducing the stigma associated with HIV.
“Together, we can increase demand for HIV prevention services, reduce misinformation, address stigma and ensure that more Nigerians have the knowledge and tools they need to protect themselves from HIV”, Ilori said.
She added: “Let us use the power of journalism and digital influence to save lives.”
The agency’s message ultimately places the media and digital influencers at the centre of Nigeria’s prevention campaign, with a call for more responsible reporting capable of replacing fear and misinformation with credible information, informed choices and greater access to HIV prevention services.
Sourced by ;
Opara ifeoma Janet,
(chief executive officer (information))
20/08/26.
