Council Approves Age Consent For HIV Testing

The National Council on Health (NCH) has approved a new national policy lowering the age of consent for voluntary HIV testing in Nigeria from 18 to 14 years. The decision, taken at the 66th Council meeting in Calabar, aims to close detection gaps among adolescents who account for a growing share of new infections.

Coordinating Minister of Health, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, said the shift reflected the scale of Nigeria’s adolescent HIV burden and aligned with global and regional practice. Commissioners from several states backed the move, citing the country’s youthful population and rising risk among vulnerable groups, especially orphans and adolescents exposed to sexual abuse.

While some members raised legal concerns under the Child Rights Act, the Council adopted the age reduction with mandatory safeguards including age-appropriate counselling, confidentiality and linkage to care. The Ministry of Health is now mandated to work with the Attorney General to ensure full legal compliance during implementation.

The policy is expected to improve early HIV detection among young Nigerians and support a more responsive, preventive public health strategy.