AHF Nigeria Revives Safer Sex Message with ‘Just Use It!’ Campaign for International Condom Day

 

As the world prepares for Valentine’s Day, the AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) Nigeria is pivoting the focus to safety with a bold reminder: when it comes to protecting your health, "Just Use It!"

Marking International Condom Day (ICD) on February 13th—the eve of the holiday of love—AHF is leading a charge to put condoms back in the spotlight as one of the most powerful, affordable, and effective tools in the prevention of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

This year’s celebration, taking place in Akwa, Anambra State, and at the University of Abuja’s Faculty of Media and Communications Studies, aims to blend fun with education. The events will feature free condom distribution, live demonstrations, and voluntary HIV testing, all designed to reinforce that sexual health should be accessible, empowering, and free of stigma.

The initiative comes at a critical time. Global rates of STIs, particularly syphilis, are surging—a trend experts attribute to dwindling global funding and the deprioritization of condom-based prevention. AHF warns that without an immediate course correction, hard-won gains in the HIV response could be reversed.

"Every condom used is a safeguard for decades of progress," the organization stated. "Sustaining HIV prevention doesn’t require new scientific breakthroughs; it requires political will and consistent investment."

In Anambra State, AHF and its partners will host a vibrant road walk on February 12, engaging the community with music and awareness campaigns while distributing AHF-branded "Love" and "Icon" condoms. The following day in Abuja, a prevention symposium at the university will target young people, particularly media students, equipping them with the knowledge to curb rising STI rates and new HIV infections. Attendees will also have access to free STI screenings at the AHF Abuja Wellness Center.

“In Africa, where the burden of HIV and syphilis remains high, we are being asked to do more with less,” said Martin Matabishi, AHF Africa Bureau Chief. “Condoms are cheap, effective, and proven, yet stigma and supply gaps persist. As donor funding shrinks, African governments must step up domestic health financing to ensure condoms remain free and widely available. Cutting prevention now is a false economy it leads to more infections, higher costs, and lives lost down the line.”

Dr. Echey Ijezie, AHF Nigeria Country Program Director, echoed this sentiment: “We’re here to remind everyone that using condoms is the smartest, most cost-effective way to prevent HIV, other STIs, and unplanned pregnancies. It’s about taking control of your health.”

First launched by AHF in 2009, International Condom Day serves as a global celebration of the condom as the world’s first line of defense in sexual health. This year’s message remains as clear as ever: "Just Use It!"

About AHF

AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) is a global non-profit organization providing cutting-edge medicine and advocacy to more than 2.8 million people across 50 countries, including sites in Africa, the Americas, the Asia/Pacific Region, and Europe. AHF is the world’s largest non-profit provider of HIV/AIDS medical care.