Disability Inclusivity in HIV Service Delivery in Nigeria: An Evidence Gap Review

Persons with disabilities frequently encounter physical, communication, social, and institutional barriers when accessing healthcare services, including HIV prevention, testing, treatment, and care. Despite global commitments to disability-inclusive healthcare and growing recognition of the intersection between HIV and disability, evidence suggests that disability-related considerations remain inadequately integrated into HIV programmes and policies in many low- and middle-income countries. In Nigeria, studies have reported a substantial burden of HIV-related disability and identified barriers affecting access to and utilization of HIV services among persons with disabilities. However, the available evidence remains fragmented and has not been comprehensively synthesized. This study aims to conduct an evidence gap review of disability inclusivity within HIV service delivery in Nigeria. Specifically, the review will map existing evidence relating to disability inclusion across the HIV care continuum, identify reported dimensions of disability inclusivity, examine barriers and facilitators affecting inclusive HIV service delivery, assess the availability of disability-disaggregated outcomes, and identify priority evidence gaps requiring further research. The review will follow the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodology for evidence gap reviews and will be reported in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR). Literature searches will be conducted in PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science, CINAHL, and African Journals Online (AJOL), alongside relevant grey literature sources. Eligible studies will include quantitative, qualitative, mixed-methods, implementation, policy, and programme evaluation studies conducted in Nigeria or reporting extractable Nigeria-specific findings. Data will be extracted using a standardized extraction form and synthesized through narrative synthesis and evidence mapping. The review will examine how disability inclusivity is addressed within HIV prevention, testing, treatment, and care services and identify areas where evidence is concentrated, limited, or absent. The findings are expected to provide a comprehensive overview of the current evidence landscape on disability-inclusive HIV service delivery in Nigeria. The review will inform future research priorities, support policy development, and contribute to efforts aimed at strengthening equitable and inclusive HIV services for persons with disabilities.