Nigeria’s antiretroviral treatment (ART) coverage among HIV-positive pregnant women fell sharply from 98% in 2025 to 83% in 2026, according to the 2026 Joint Annual Review (JAR) Statistical Book presented in Abuja on 10 November 2026. The report also reveals a decline in viral suppression rates among pregnant and breastfeeding women living with HIV—from 95% in 2025 down to 79% in 2026.
The JAR Statistical Book, produced by Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, underscores a concerning drop in critical maternal treatment outcomes despite some progress in other HIV indicators. Newly detected HIV cases nationwide decreased from 108,230 in 2025 to 70,356 in 2026, according to the same report.
Mariam Ileyemi, reporting on the JAR findings, stated, “The report also shows that antiretroviral treatment coverage among HIV-positive pregnant women recorded in the programme data fell from 98 per cent in 2025 to 83 per cent in 2026.” She further noted, “The proportion of pregnant and breastfeeding women living with HIV who achieved viral suppression fell from 95 per cent in 2025 to 79 per cent in 2026.”
A 2023 study published in PLOS Global Public Health highlights a longer-term national trend of declining prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) coverage and treatment uptake among pregnant women. The study points out structural challenges, noting that national PMTCT statistics may underestimate real coverage because only 25% of antenatal care (ANC) facilities both offer and report these services.
Supporting this, a 2025 Nigeria National HIV/AIDS programme poster documented that 4.2 million pregnant women were tested for HIV from a total of 5.1 million ANC attendees, reflecting 82% testing coverage between January and September 2025. This suggests that HIV testing remains widely accessible in ANC settings even as treatment and viral suppression falter.
The decline in treatment coverage and viral suppression raises urgent questions about the possible causes, which remain unconfirmed in the available sources. No independent information confirms whether stockouts, funding shortages, or other logistical barriers contributed to the sudden drop. Neither has the federal government released a formal response or a strategy to reverse the downward trend.
Antiretroviral treatment during pregnancy is critical for preventing mother-to-child HIV transmission—a key public health target. The observed decline signals a risk that progress made in reducing infant HIV cases could stall or reverse. Continuous monitoring and targeted interventions will be essential to restore coverage and protect maternal and child health in Nigeria.
The Cape Flats author of this article will stay updated on further data releases and government announcements regarding the Nigeria HIV response.