Nigeria is strengthening its fight against antimicrobial resistance (AMR) by bringing four federal ministries together to curb drug-resistant infections and protect public health ahead of the Fifth Global High-Level Ministerial Conference on AMR scheduled for December 6–8, 2026, in Abuja.
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, announced the initiative at a joint ministerial briefing in Abuja on October 12, stressing the need for coordinated action across human health, agriculture, livestock development and the environment.
The conference, themed “One Health: Advancing Global AMR Commitment Through Local Action,” will be the first edition of the global ministerial gathering to be hosted in Africa.
Pate described AMR as “a hidden pandemic,” calling for accurate diagnosis, responsible use of antimicrobial medicines and stronger infection prevention and control measures.
Antimicrobial resistance occurs when microorganisms develop the ability to withstand medicines used to treat infections, making illnesses more difficult to manage and increasing the risk of complications and death.
A 2024 analysis published in The Lancet estimated that bacterial AMR was directly responsible for 1.14 million deaths worldwide in 2021 and associated with 4.71 million deaths. Under its reference scenario, the study projected 39.1 million cumulative deaths attributable to AMR between 2025 and 2050.
One Health Approach
The initiative involves the Federal Ministries of Health and Social Welfare, Agriculture and Food Security, Livestock Development, and Environment, recognising the links between human, animal and environmental health.
Pate said inappropriate antimicrobial use in agriculture and animal production, alongside environmental contamination, could contribute to the development and spread of resistant organisms.
The Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, represented by the ministry’s Director of Plant Health and Pest Control Services, Iwendi Grace Odunola, described AMR as a threat to agricultural productivity, food safety and farmers’ livelihoods.
He called for stronger food safety systems, improved biosecurity, farmer education, expanded agricultural extension services and sustainable alternatives to reduce inappropriate antimicrobial use.
Environment Minister Balarabe Abbas Lawal warned that resistant organisms could spread through contaminated water, soil, food and poorly managed waste.
He advocated stronger inter-ministerial collaboration and improved environmental management to limit the spread of antimicrobial resistance.
Strengthening Diagnosis and Surveillance
Pate said the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare had operated an antimicrobial stewardship programme in federal hospitals for two and a half years to promote appropriate prescribing and responsible medicine use.
Other priorities include improving laboratory diagnosis, strengthening infection prevention and control, and supporting regulatory action against counterfeit medicines and inappropriate antimicrobial sales.
The minister acknowledged gaps in Nigeria’s AMR surveillance systems, stressing that stronger laboratory capacity, reliable data, increased domestic health financing and local pharmaceutical production would be essential to sustaining progress.
December Conference to Drive Action
The December conference is expected to bring together government representatives, scientists, development partners, civil society organisations and private-sector stakeholders to strengthen global cooperation against AMR.
Discussions will focus on translating commitments into practical interventions across human health, animal health, agriculture and the environment.
The success of the initiative will depend on sustained funding, effective regulation, reliable surveillance and responsible antimicrobial use.
Coordinated action across the four sectors will be critical to protecting public health, safeguarding food production and preserving the effectiveness of essential medicines for treating infections.
 by bringing four federal ministries together to curb drug-resistant infections and protect public health ahead of the Fifth Global High-Level Ministerial Conference on AMR scheduled for December 6–8, 2026, in Abuja.){kind=link}