By John Umeh
A newly developed twice-yearly HIV prevention injection — hailed as one of the biggest breakthroughs in the fight against the virus in decades — has ignited debate among Nigerians after reports indicated it may soon cost about ₦70,000 (roughly $40) per patient per year in the country.
The drug, lenacapavir, already sold in the United States as Yeztugo by Gilead Sciences at more than $28,000 annually, is being prepared for low-cost rollout through a collaboration between Indian manufacturers Hetero Labs and Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories alongside global health partners such as the Gates Foundation, Unitaid, the Clinton Health Access Initiative and Wits RHI. According to international media reports, the cheaper version could reach Africa within weeks.
Unlike daily PrEP pills that require consistent adherence, lenacapavir provides six months of protection with just two injections a year. Health experts have called this durability “transformational,” especially for women and others who face challenges with daily medication or condom negotiation. Former U.S. President Bill Clinton has also praised the innovation, saying it could “change lives” by offering long-term protection at the cost of existing PrEP pills.
Despite the excitement, scepticism persists. Some Nigerians question the safety of the injection and express distrust of global health initiatives. Tobe, a fuel attendant in Port Harcourt, told reporters he doubted an injection given twice yearly could outperform daily pills. A student at the Federal University of Technology, Owerri, said he would prefer to stick with the familiar PrEP regimen.
On social media, conspiracy theories and suspicions about hidden agendas flooded comment sections, with some users linking the initiative to fertility control or population-reduction plots. Others argued abstinence, condoms, and antiretroviral therapy remained sufficient options for prevention.
Yet, a number of health professionals and citizens see hope. Dr. Dan Onwujekwe, a former senior researcher at the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, dismissed talk of sinister motives. He noted that the twice-yearly injection could improve adherence and reduce stigma associated with taking daily pills in public.
“Many people are tired of lifelong PrEP or fear being seen with the medication. If they can afford the injection, they should take it,” he said, adding that the real issues are accessibility and proper rollout, not conspiracy.
Some social media users also pushed back against the negativity. Philomena Davies, for instance, wrote that global partnerships bringing affordable medicine should be welcomed, not feared.
With Nigeria still among the countries with a high HIV burden, the coming weeks may reveal whether lenacapavir will be embraced as a game-changer or resisted by a sceptical public.
