The National Council on Health (NCH) has approved a new national policy reducing the age of consent for voluntary HIV testing in Nigeria from 18 to 14 years.
The decision was reached after intense deliberations at the Council’s 66th meeting held in Calabar, Cross River State.
Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, who chaired the meeting, said the move reflects the urgent need to improve early HIV detection among adolescents, especially those who lack guardians to provide consent.
He recalled Nigeria’s heavy paediatric HIV burden, noting that the country once had over 380,000 children living with HIV and about 1.7 million AIDS orphans.
Pate said lessons from countries like South Africa—where minors aged 12 can independently access HIV tests—demonstrated the benefits of early detection.
He added that the new policy aligns with Nigeria’s cultural and legal context and ensures young people “are not left behind.”
Most state commissioners supported the decision. Borno State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Baba Gana, pointed out that 42.5 per cent of Nigerians are aged 14 or younger, arguing that earlier access to testing is essential to reducing infections.
Others, including commissioners from Edo and Delta, said lowering the age would help reach vulnerable adolescents, such as victims of sexual abuse and orphans.
Some members expressed concerns about parental involvement and legal implications.
Ekiti Commissioner for Health, Dr Oyebanji Filani, questioned whether parents should be excluded from such decisions.
A legal expert at the meeting cautioned that the Child Rights Act does not grant minors the power to give full medical consent.
But several commissioners maintained that voluntary HIV testing is a public health service, not a medical procedure requiring complex consent, and that stronger counselling requirements could address concerns.
Lagos Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, argued that regional precedents justified the change and said he would even support lowering the age to 12 in Lagos.
Nasarawa’s Commissioner for Health, Dr Gaza Gwamna, added that ignoring adolescent sexual activity would only worsen the HIV burden.
After reviewing amendments, the Council voted overwhelmingly to approve the reduction, with 14 years receiving the majority support.
The final resolution includes safeguards such as age-appropriate counselling, confidentiality, follow-up care for those who test positive, and collaboration with the Attorney General to ensure legal compliance.
Prof. Pate confirmed the adoption of the policy, which aims to expand HIV testing among young Nigerians and strengthen early treatment access across the country.
