The Nigerian Government has called for stronger cross-sector collaboration and improved public health interventions to tackle antimicrobial resistance (AMR), warning that drug-resistant infections pose a growing threat to lives, healthcare delivery and national development.
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, said antimicrobial resistance was estimated to have contributed to 64,500 deaths in Nigeria in 2019, describing it as a “hidden pandemic” requiring urgent, coordinated and sustained action.
Pate made the call ahead of the Fifth Global High-Level Ministerial Conference on Antimicrobial Resistance, scheduled to take place in Abuja from 6 to 8 December 2026, under the theme, “One Health: Advancing Global AMR Commitments to Local Action”.
AMR occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites develop resistance to medicines designed to treat infections, making illnesses more difficult to manage and increasing the risk of severe disease and death.
According to the minister, the inappropriate use of antibiotics and other antimicrobial medicines, alongside gaps in infection prevention, diagnosis and surveillance, can accelerate the development and spread of drug resistance.
He stressed the need to strengthen antimicrobial stewardship in hospitals and other healthcare facilities, improve laboratory capacity and disease surveillance, and promote the responsible prescription and use of antibiotics.
Pate also urged members of the public to avoid taking antibiotics without appropriate medical advice, explaining that antibiotics are ineffective against viral infections and that their misuse can contribute to drug resistance.
He emphasised that tackling AMR requires more than access to medicines, noting that prevention, vaccination, early diagnosis, effective infection control and public awareness are essential to reducing the burden of drug-resistant infections.
In a related address, the Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abbas Lawal, highlighted the environmental dimension of antimicrobial resistance, noting that resistant microorganisms can spread between humans, animals and the environment through interconnected pathways.
Lawal said AMR could spread through farms, food systems, water, soil and waste, making collaboration between health and environmental authorities essential to an effective response.
“Resistance does not respect boundaries; it cuts across sectors. It moves from people to animals, from farms to food, and through water, soil and waste systems,” he said.
The environment minister called for stronger intersectoral coordination, responsible use of antimicrobial medicines, improved waste management, and better water and sanitation systems to limit the spread of resistant microorganisms.
He also stressed the importance of monitoring progress and ensuring that commitments made at national and international levels translate into measurable action, particularly in communities where environmental contamination and inadequate sanitation increase public health risks.
Lawal’s position reflects the One Health approach, which recognises the interconnectedness of human, animal and environmental health and promotes joint action against threats that cannot be effectively addressed by one sector alone.
Also speaking on the planned conference, the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Iziaq Adekunle Salako, said the meeting would enable participating countries to assess progress in tackling AMR, identify implementation gaps and strengthen international cooperation.
Salako said the conference would focus on accelerating interventions and improving global governance of antimicrobial resistance, particularly by translating existing commitments into practical measures at national and local levels.
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He cited a 2022 study published in The Lancet, which estimated that bacterial antimicrobial resistance was directly responsible for approximately 1.27 million deaths worldwide in 2019.
The minister also highlighted projections that, without effective interventions, bacterial AMR could be directly responsible for more than 39 million deaths globally between 2025 and 2050.
He said the figures underscored the urgency of coordinated action, stronger health systems, improved surveillance, responsible antimicrobial use and sustained investment in measures to prevent and control drug-resistant infections.
Salako noted that the proposed Abuja Compact would be an important outcome of the conference, providing a framework for translating political commitments on AMR into concrete interventions, accountability and measurable progress.
The conference is expected to bring together ministers, policymakers, health experts, environmental stakeholders and development partners to strengthen international cooperation against antimicrobial resistance.
Its planned hosting in Abuja would place Nigeria at the centre of global discussions on AMR. The meeting is also expected to be the first edition of the high-level ministerial conference to take place on African soil.
The ministers’ statements highlight the need for a coordinated response combining effective healthcare practices, environmental protection, responsible use of antimicrobial medicines and sustained political commitment to preserve the effectiveness of existing treatments for present and future generations.
