The twice-yearly injectable drug offers a major breakthrough in HIV prevention, but health experts caution that it is not a substitute for responsible sexual behaviour, STI prevention or proper medical guidance.

A health expert, Mary-Treasure Amah, has cautioned Nigerians against the misuse of Lenacapavir, the long-acting injectable drug being introduced for HIV prevention, warning that the breakthrough medicine should not be treated as a licence for reckless sexual behaviour.

Amah gave the warning in Calabar while reacting to the rollout of Lenacapavir Injectable Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis, commonly known as injectable PrEP, in Cross River State.

She explained that Lenacapavir is administered twice yearly to eligible people at risk of HIV infection and works by blocking a key part of the virus required for replication. According to her, the medicine represents a major step forward in HIV prevention because it reduces the burden of daily tablets and improves adherence for people who may find oral PrEP difficult to maintain consistently.

“Lenacapavir is not permission for promiscuity or reckless living; people must still make informed and responsible decisions about their sexual health,” Amah said.

Her caution is important. While the injectable option could significantly strengthen HIV prevention among vulnerable groups, it does not protect against pregnancy or other sexually transmitted infections. Beneficiaries, she said, must continue to practise responsible sexual and reproductive health behaviours and should receive the drug only through approved health facilities.

Amah noted that Cross River was selected as one of the eight pilot states for the intervention because of its commitment to HIV response programmes and support for preventive healthcare at community level.

The state’s Commissioner for Health, Henry Ayuk, described the introduction of the drug as a major milestone in the fight against HIV/AIDS and a boost to healthcare delivery in Cross River.

Also speaking, Yewande Olatunde, the World Health Organization Coordinator in Cross River, said Lenacapavir could become an important strategic tool for reducing HIV prevalence in Nigeria and across Africa.

She noted that Nigeria remains one of the countries with a high HIV burden globally, making stronger prevention options critical.

“Now let’s bring it home; Nigeria is about the fourth largest globally when it comes to HIV burden, so this, for me, is a fantastic approach at HIV prevention,” she said.

The Director-General of the Cross River Agency for the Control of AIDS, Charles Iwara, said studies indicate that Lenacapavir can provide very high protection against HIV infection when properly administered through approved healthcare systems.

For Nigeria’s public-health architecture, the arrival of injectable PrEP comes at a critical moment. HIV prevention has long depended on a mix of awareness, testing, condom use, treatment access, stigma reduction and oral PrEP for high-risk populations. The challenge has often been adherence. A twice-yearly injection could help close that gap.

But experts insist that the drug’s promise must be matched by public education, medical supervision and responsible use.

BRANDECONOMY Insight

A Breakthrough Drug Still Needs Behavioural Discipline

Lenacapavir represents one of the most promising advances in HIV prevention. Its twice-yearly dosing could solve one of the biggest problems in preventive medicine: adherence. For many people, taking a daily pill is difficult. A long-acting injection makes prevention easier, more discreet and potentially more effective.

But every medical breakthrough carries a behavioural risk. When people misunderstand protection, they may take greater risks. That is why Amah’s warning matters.

Lenacapavir can help prevent HIV, but it does not prevent pregnancy. It does not prevent all sexually transmitted infections. It does not remove the need for testing, counselling, health education and responsible choices.

For Nigeria, the rollout must therefore be handled as both a medical intervention and a communication challenge. The public must understand what the drug does — and what it does not do.

The larger opportunity is clear. If properly deployed, Lenacapavir could strengthen Nigeria’s HIV prevention strategy, reduce stigma around daily medication and expand protection for people most at risk. But success will depend on access, proper screening, trained health workers, patient counselling and sustained public-health messaging.

In health policy, medicine alone is rarely enough. The real victory comes when science, behaviour and systems work together.