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Trump’s administration stops foreign aids on HIV to Nigeria, other countries as experts react

By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
The Donald Trump administration has halted funding for HIV/AIDS programs in Nigeria and other developing countries, a move that has drawn widespread criticism from global health experts and activists.
This decision comes despite ongoing efforts to combat the disease in regions that heavily rely on international aid to sustain healthcare initiatives.
The decision affects the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), which has been a critical source of funding for HIV/AIDS treatment and prevention in Nigeria and other low-income nations.
Over the years, PEPFAR has supported millions of individuals with life-saving antiretroviral treatments, helping to curb the spread of the virus in some of the world’s most vulnerable communities.
Health experts fear this funding freeze could lead to devastating setbacks in the fight against HIV/AIDS.
Dr. Amina Ahmed, a Nigerian health policy expert, warned of severe consequences for patients who depend on subsidized medication.
“This decision will leave many Nigerians living with HIV without access to treatment. It threatens to reverse years of progress made in reducing HIV-related deaths and new infections,” Dr. Ahmed said.
The suspension could also disrupt prevention programs, including mother-to-child transmission initiatives, which have been pivotal in reducing the number of newborns born with the virus.
Critics argue that the decision reflects a lack of empathy for struggling nations. Dr. Michael Jones, a U.S.-based global health advocate, described the move as a “callous disregard for human lives.”
The Trump administration has defended the decision, citing budgetary constraints and a shift in focus toward domestic healthcare priorities.
However, advocates argue that cutting off aid to developing countries will have broader implications for global health security.
Nigeria, which has one of the highest HIV prevalence rates globally, could face dire consequences.
The National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) estimates that over 1.9 million Nigerians are living with HIV.
Many of these individuals depend on PEPFAR-supported programs for their treatment and care.
The announcement has sparked calls for urgent action. Local NGOs and international organizations have begun lobbying for alternative funding sources to bridge the gap left by the U.S. withdrawal.
Advocacy groups are also urging the Nigerian government to increase its healthcare budget to reduce reliance on foreign aid.
The decision has drawn parallels to the global reaction following similar cuts during the early years of the AIDS epidemic.
Analysts warn that reducing funding for HIV/AIDS programs could lead to a resurgence of the disease, undermining decades of progress in public health.
As the global community reacts to this development, the focus remains on finding sustainable solutions to ensure that affected individuals continue receiving the care they need.
The Nigerian government and international stakeholders now face the challenge of mitigating the impact of this funding gap while maintaining momentum in the fight against HIV/AIDS.
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Nigeria’s inflation jumps to 24.23% in March 2025

Nigeria’s headline inflation rate rose to 24.23% in March 2025, according to the official government data source, the Nigeria Bureau of Statistics (NBS).
The rise in the country’s inflation rate, from 23.18% back in February 2025 to 24.23% in March 2025, reflected a major increase in the rising commodity and energy costs in the last few weeks.
According to the March 2025 Consumer Price Index (CPI) Report which measures the inflation rate released by the government agency on Tuesday, the country’s food inflation rate was 21.79% year-on-year in March 2025.
The food inflation rate, however, showed a decrease compared to the food inflation rate of 23.51% recorded in February 2025.
Economists had predicted that the country’s inflation rate which decreased minimally in February would rise when the Dangote Refinery and the state-run NNPCL got entangled in a petrol price war that culminated in the temporary termination of a naira-for crude agreement between the two oil companies and the subsequent increase in the pump price of petrol.
Some observers had also said the minimal reduction in the prices of food commodities experienced earlier in February was not sustainable, attributing the temporary decline in the prices of food to the importation intervention of the Federal Government.
Food and commodity inflation have skyrocketed as Nigerians battle what can pass for the worst cost of living crisis since the country’s independence over six decades ago, a development that economic wizards have attributed to President Bola Tinubu’s twin policies of petrol subsidy removal and unification of the forex rates.
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Plateau 51: Mutfwang mourns, says “we failed you”, begs affected community

Governor Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau State has apologised to the people of Bassa Local Government Area (LGA) for the failure of government and security agencies to protect lives and properties.
Fifty-one persons were gunned down early Monday in the Zikke community of the LGA, with houses razed and many displaced about two weeks after a similar attack led to the killing of scores of persons in Bokkos Local Government Area.
Less than two days after the most recent assault, Governor Mutfwang apologised for the government’s inability to protect the people.
Fifty-one persons were gunned down early Monday in the Zikke community of the LGA, with houses razed and many displaced about two weeks after a similar attack led to the killing of scores of persons in Bokkos Local Government Area.
Less than two days after the most recent assault, Governor Mutfwang apologised for the government’s inability to protect the people.
The governor said this on Tuesday at the palace of the Paramount Ruler in Miango.
“I will tell you the truth: I have been crying since yesterday because I had trusted God that all the arrangements were put in place, that this will not happen again. We have made investments in security,” he said.
But like all human arrangements, sometimes they fail. I want to admit that on Sunday night into Monday morning, we failed you. Please, forgive me.”
He urged the people not to relent in their efforts to secure their communities and ensure that they complement security agencies’ efforts by providing vital information for intelligence gathering and expose the antics of the criminals.
Governor Mutfwang, in the company of security chiefs and members of the state executive council, was in Zikke community to commiserate with the people on the death of over fifty persons killed in Monday’s attacks.
The Paramount Ruler of Irigwe land, Ronku Aka, who is the Brangwe of Irigwe, urged the government to come to the aid of the communities with the provision of social amenities in the area.
The governor and the entourage also went to see some of the families who lost their loved ones in the attack. The victims have been buried just as members of the community demanded action to stem the rising wave of insecurity in the state.
Plateau State has been a hotbed of attacks, but the renewed spate of attacks adds a fresh layer of twist to the decades-long crisis rocking the North-Central state.
After the most recent assaults, President Bola Tinubu ordered security agencies to fish out the masterminds, describing the attacks as condemnable.
While experts have linked the lingering Plateau crisis to farmers-herders tussle for resources, Governor Muftwang said it was sponsored and genocidal.
According to him, over 64 communities in the state have been taken over by gunmen.
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