By Ojoma Akor
Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO), has trained healthcare workers on Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) to strengthen HIV prevention and reduce new HIV infections in the country.
The training, organized by the National HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis and STIs Control Program (NASCP) in collaboration with WHO, was designed to equip master trainers with the technical knowledge, facilitation skills, and practical competencies needed to cascade PrEP training to healthcare workers and community stakeholders nationwide.
Nigeria had earlier introduced lenacapavir, a twice-yearly injectable drug for HIV, on the 24th of March, 2026.
Dr. Mya Ngon, Cluster Lead for Disease Prevention and Control at WHO Nigeria, said the Training of Trainers is taking place at a pivotal moment in Nigeria’s HIV response, as the country scales up oral PrEP and long-acting cabotegravir (CAB-LA) and introduces newer innovations such as lenacapavir (LEN).
While saying that building a skilled and competent health space has never been more critical, she said the training represents a vital investment in that capacity.
She said, “The WHO is proud to provide technical and financial support for this initiative. By following global and national guidelines, we aim to ensure that high-quality PreP services are delivered effectively across all levels of the health system. Training a new cadre of national and state-level trainers who will cascade quality Prep services in every corner of Nigeria.
“I am particularly encouraged by the multidisciplinary composition of participants, medical doctors, nurses, pharmacists, state program teams, academia, and the community, as PrEP delivery is a collaborative, client-centered effort. It requires the combined expertise of health service providers working together to ensure effective counseling, commodity security, service integration, and continuity of care across populations, including adolescents and key populations. ”
She highlighted that by the end of the training, the trainees will join the pool of certified national and state-level trainers.
She added that they will be equipped to deliver standardized PrEP training and mentor healthcare providers in their respective states, ensuring that clients nationwide receive high-quality, compassionate, and evidence-based PrEP services, whether oral, CAB-LA, or I.EN.
She encouraged participants to share experiences and collaborate actively throughout the training, adding that the knowledge and skills gained could transform HIV prevention efforts and save lives across Nigeria.
A facilitator, Ms. Adaobi Olisa of Root to Rise, said the capacity-building program is critical because there are many innovations in PrEP and a lot of misinformation around it.
She said, “So it’s very important to build the capacity of trainers who will go to their states to train other people, share the right information, and be able to provide high-quality services to everyone who needs PrEP.”
Adamawa State AIDS, STI, and Viral Hepatitis Control Program Manager, Dr. Mohamed Hamman, said the trainees will ensure that the knowledge they gained is cascaded down to other healthcare workers, and that PrEP uptake is enhanced.
Sokoto State AIDS Program Coordinator, Mr. Wadata Hali, said the training comes at the right time,” as the country now has more PrEP options, and it will help move the country closer to achieving epidemic control by 2030.”
Dr. Funke Odunlade, technical officer on HIV, viral hepatitis, and STIs at the WHO Nigeria, said, “We believe that by equipping the participants with the right knowledge and the capacity, they would be able to not only train others, but also provide the services to those in need.”
