ABSTRACT
This chapter argues that women in Nigeria are more at risk of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection than men. It describes the biological, cultural, and economic conditions which make Nigerian women susceptible to HIV infection. The first case of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) in Nigeria, involving a sexually active thirteen-year-old girl, was officially reported in 1984. The Federal Government of Nigeria responded to the threat of AIDS in 1986 by setting up the National Expert Advisory Committee on AIDS. The suggestions mentioned have policy implications; hence the support of men is required because in Nigeria more men than women occupy important policy-making positions. The epidemic of HIV/AIDS is growing rapidly in Nigeria. Although intervention measures are being implemented in the country to control further spread of AIDS, the efforts have not addressed the factors which place women at risk and the barriers to prevention and control.
