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Nigeria, Seven Others Begin African-led HIV Vaccine Development

Published

11 months ago

November 7, 2024

Nigeria, South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Uganda, Kenya, and Mozambique have begun locally-led HIV vaccine research and development.

This was disclosed at a press briefing in Abuja on Thursday, themed “HIV Vaccine, Innovation, Science, and Technology Acceleration in Africa Project.”

The initiative aims to harness and catalyse African scientists to contribute to the development of an African-led, effective HIV vaccine under the ‘Bringing Innovation to Clinical and Laboratory Research to End HIV in Africa through New Vaccine Technology’ (BRILLIANT) Consortium, led by the Chief Executive Officer and President of the South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town, South Africa, Prof. Glenda Gray.

The World Health Organisation, on Tuesday, named HIV, malaria, tuberculosis, and 14 other pathogens as top priorities for new vaccine development.

According to UNAIDS, an estimated 39.9 million people were living with HIV globally in 2023, with an estimated 1.3 million new infections.

Africa has about 25.9 million (65 per cent) of the global burden, with Nigeria contributing about 1.9 million, making it the fourth-largest HIV burden country globally.

However, to end the HIV epidemic, an effective HIV vaccine is required to be added to the known prevention tools to stop transmission.

The U.S. Agency for International Development awarded more than $45 million to the BRILLIANT consortium through a competitive process to implement a cooperative agreement under the HIV-VISTA project.

The Executive Director of the International Research Centre of Excellence at the Institute of Human Virology Nigeria and Principal Investigator in Nigeria, Prof. Alash’le Abimiku, noted that the objective of the consortium is to evaluate HIV vaccine candidates emerging from the continent.

She said, “Activities supported under the HIV-VISTA project will be implemented exclusively in Sub-Saharan Africa, which is the geographical area in the world with the highest burden of HIV.

“These new project funds will be directly applied in Africa, and substantial in-kind resources are being leveraged. This more powerful collaboration with a greater number of partners and considerable goodwill promises to deliver results while preventing the diversion of funds back to the United States.

“Through these efforts, African institutions will be encouraged to become more autonomous, generate domestic resource support, form partnerships with the private sector, and possibly create a more sustainable system for HIV vaccine R&D, which has, to date, been excessively dependent on the U.S. government.”

Expressing optimism about the project, she emphasised, “This is a true partnership that acknowledges the potential of great innovation and science from Africa to solve global health challenges, especially those that disproportionately devastate the continent.

“We are very thrilled to partner with the government of Nigeria and colleagues from South Africa, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Mozambique in this endeavour.”

The Director General of the National Agency for the Control of AIDS, Dr Temitope Ilori, noted that the HIV-VISTA study offers hope for a vaccine tailored to the needs of the population.

Ilori said, “HIV remains a significant challenge in Nigeria. Despite our progress in reducing new infections and controlling the virus, the HIV epidemic persists, hence requiring new tools for prevention. NACA has continued to provide current prevention measures, but an effective vaccine is crucial to our efforts.

“The HIV-VISTA study offers hope for a vaccine tailored to the needs of our population, and Nigeria’s involvement in this global initiative is critical. Our participation supports both local and international efforts to end AIDS and brings us closer to a vaccine that could save countless lives across Africa and beyond.

“Our partnership within the BRILLIANT consortium, guided by inclusivity, ethical standards, and USAID’s Collaborate, Learn, and Adapt framework, aligns with NACA’s commitment to serving Nigerians and advancing public health. We are confident in the scientific integrity of this initiative and fully support its goals, provided they remain aligned with Nigeria’s national interests.”

The Deputy Director of the Office of HIV/TB from USAID, Dr. Ezekiel James, stated that the study offers the opportunity to collaborate with the government of Nigeria and stakeholders.

“USAID looks forward to the outcomes of this study and the combined efforts to achieve HIV epidemic control,” James said.

On his part, the UNAIDS Country Director, Dr. Leo Zekeng, encouraged engagement with the community to create awareness of HIV vaccines and similar research that continues to break HIV transmission rates.

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NiMet Predicts Three-day Rain, Thunderstorms From Monday

Published

4 hours ago

September 21, 2025

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JUST IN: Ooni Visits Olubadan-designate Ladoja In Ibadan

Published

10 hours ago

September 21, 2025

Editor

The Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi, on Sunday, paid a visit to the Olubadan designate, Rashidi Ladoja, at his Bodija private residence in Ibadan, Oyo State.

The PUNCH reports that Oba Ladoja will be installed as the 44th Olubadan on Friday, September 26, 2025, following the demise of the 43rd Olubadan, Oba Owolabi Olakulehin, who joined his ancestors on Monday, July 7, 2025, at the age of 90 years.

The two paramount rulers are currently exchanging pleasantries.

Details later…

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JUST IN: FG Revokes 1,263 Mineral Licenses Over Unpaid Fees

Published

10 hours ago

September 21, 2025

Editor

The Federal Government through the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development has announced a fresh revocation of not less than 1,263 mineral licenses.

These licenses, which will now be deleted from the Electronic Mining Cadastral System portal of the Nigerian Mining Cadastral Office, include 584 exploration licenses, 65 mining leases, 144 quarry licenses, and 470 small-scale mining leases.

The minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, gave the revocation announcement in a statement issued by his special assistant on Media, Segun Tomori, on Sunday in Abuja.

The minister explained that the directive was issued due to the companies’ failure to comply with the requirement of paying their annual service fees.

The latest revocation brings the total mineral titles revoked under the current administration to 3, 794 including,619 mineral titles revoked for defaulting in paying annual service fees and 912 for dormancy last year.

By opening up the areas formerly covered by these licenses, the revocation is expected to spur fresh applications by investors looking for fresh opportunities.

The statement read, “Not less than 1,263 mineral licenses will be deleted from the portal of the Electronic Mining Cadastral system of the Nigerian Mining Cadastral Office, MCO, following their revocation by the Federal Government.

“These include 584 exploration licenses, 65 mining leases, 144 quarry licenses, and 470 small-scale mining leases.”

Approving the revocation following the recommendation of the MCO, the Minister said applying the law to keep speculators and unserious investors away from the mining sector would make way for diligent investors and grow the sector.

“The era of obtaining licences and keeping them in drawers for the highest bidder, while financially capable and industrious businessmen are complaining of access to good sites, is over.

“The annual service fee is the minimum evidence that you are interested in mining. You don’t have to wait for us to revoke the license because the law allows you to return the license if you change your mind,” the minister said.

He warned that the revocation does not mean the Federal Government has pardoned the annual service debt owed by licensees, adding that the list will be forwarded to the Economic & Financial Crimes Commission to ensure that debtors pay or face the wrath of the law.

“This is to encourage due diligence and emphasise the consequences of inundating the license application processes with speculative activities.”

In the recommendation to the minister, the Director-General of the MCO, Simon Nkom, disclosed that there were 1,957 initial defaulters when the MCO published the intention to revoke licences in the Federal Government Gazette on June 19, 2025.

He informed the minister that the gazette was distributed to MCO offices nationwide to sensitise licencees and encourage them to comply within 30 days in compliance with the Minerals and Mining Act 2007 and relevant regulations.

He observed that the delay in the final recommendation was due to complaints of several licensees who claimed to have paid to the Federal Government through Remita and had to be reconciled.

Earlier this month, the DG MCO had hinted that more mining licences would be revoked as part of ongoing efforts to sanitise the solid minerals sector and protect investors from fraudsters.

According to Nkom, the clean-up exercise, which covers expired, speculative, and inactive titles, is necessary to make room for genuine investors and ensure compliance with the law.

This is part of ongoing efforts at sanitising the sector since the inception of the Tinubu administration, and the salutary effects of the reforms are massive and manifest despite the attempts to push back by defaulters and their agents.