"We are not asking for money from the OPS (organised private sector), but collaboration, using their core competencies," said Babatunde Osotimehin, the head of the state-run National Action Committee on AIDS (NACA), in press reports confirmed by his office.

According to the latest official figures 5.4 percent of Nigeria's massive population, estimated at more than 126 million, have been infected with HIV.

But many experts say the proportion is already be much higher, and that the virus is shifting into the general population from high-risk groups such as soldiers, truck-drivers and prostitutes.

Osotimehin said companies should educate the country's workforce to the dangers of HIV/AIDS and provide prevention education as well as counselling and medical care for employees already affected.

He suggested mobile 'phone operators should send AIDS awareness messages to their customers by test message and urged hotels -- which in Nigeria often double as brothels -- to hand out information leaflets.

He said young people between 15 and 49 years old were at greatest risk and that some 500 million dollars will be needed annually to fight the disease.

TERRA.WIRE