Actress, Funke Akindele gets new Appointment
On December 3, 2024, Nollywood icon Funke Akindele was named the National Goodwill Ambassador for the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) during the World AIDS Day commemoration in Abuja. The appointment honors her influential role in advocacy and her long-standing commitment to social causes, particularly HIV/AIDS awareness.
Renowned as the “Queen of Box Office” in Nollywood, Funke Akindele’s career spans over two decades, with remarkable achievements in film and social impact. Her breakout role in the UNFPA-sponsored series “I Need to Know” spotlighted adolescent reproductive health, including HIV education, establishing her as a voice for change early on. Beyond her on-screen success, which includes starring in the top three highest-grossing Nollywood films, Akindele has consistently leveraged her platform to address pressing societal issues, from health advocacy to gender equality.
Announcing the appointment, Dr. Leopold Zekeng, UNAIDS Country Director for Nigeria, commended Akindele’s influence
As a Goodwill Ambassador, Akindele will champion initiatives aimed at: Promoting HIV prevention strategies.
Supporting efforts to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV. Advocating for stigma reduction and equitable treatment access for people living with HIV.
Over the last decade, Nigeria has made significant strides in reducing HIV prevalence and improving treatment access: Approximately 2 million Nigerians are living with HIV, with a prevalence rate of 1.3% among adults aged 15–49. New infections have dropped by 42.3%, from 130,000 in 2010 to 75,000 in 2023. 1.6 million Nigerians living with HIV are now receiving treatment, marking a substantial improvement in care delivery
