Nigeria To Host Global AMR Summit As Drug Resistance Threatens Millions Of Lives

The Federal Government has pledged stronger surveillance, responsible use of medicines and cross-sectoral collaboration ahead of the December conference in Abuja.

Nigeria has pledged to strengthen its response to antimicrobial resistance (AMR) as it prepares to host a global ministerial conference aimed at translating international commitments into concrete action against drug-resistant infections.

The fifth Global High-Level Ministerial Conference on Antimicrobial Resistance will hold in Abuja from December 6 to 8, 2026, marking the first time the international gathering will take place on African soil.

The conference, themed “One Health: Advancing Global AMR Commitments to Local Action,” is expected to bring together governments and other stakeholders to strengthen international cooperation, accelerate interventions and establish measurable targets for tackling drug resistance.

The Nigerian government is organising the conference in collaboration with the Quadripartite Joint Secretariat on AMR, comprising the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, United Nations Environment Programme, World Health Organization and World Organisation for Animal Health.

Speaking at a media briefing, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, described the gathering as an opportunity to move beyond political declarations and deliver practical solutions to one of the world’s growing public health challenges.

Pate said Nigeria would prioritise stronger surveillance systems, responsible antimicrobial use, improved laboratory capacity and increased domestic production of essential medicines.

He stressed that tackling AMR required coordinated action across government institutions and society because the threat affects human health, animal production, food systems and the environment.

Drug Resistance Linked To Millions Of Deaths

The urgency of the global response is reflected in estimates from the 2022 Global Research on Antimicrobial Resistance study published in The Lancet.

According to figures cited by Pate, bacterial antimicrobial resistance was directly responsible for an estimated 1.27 million deaths worldwide in 2019, including approximately 64,500 deaths in Nigeria.

He warned that more than 39 million deaths could be directly attributable to antimicrobial resistance globally between 2025 and 2050 if effective interventions were not implemented.

AMR occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites develop the ability to resist medicines designed to eliminate them or control the infections they cause.

As resistance increases, medicines that once effectively treated infections may become ineffective, leaving patients vulnerable to complications, prolonged illnesses and death.

The consequences extend beyond hospitals, threatening the safety of surgical procedures, childbirth and the treatment of common infections such as pneumonia.

Drug-resistant infections can also increase healthcare costs, prolong hospital stays and place additional financial pressure on patients, families and already overstretched health systems.

Pate noted that the threat often remained unnoticed until treatment failed and patients developed complications.

He explained that people could visit hospitals for conditions such as pneumonia or typhoid fever but fail to respond to treatment when the antimicrobial prescribed was ineffective against the infection.

The minister, however, acknowledged that gaps in Nigeria’s surveillance systems remained a challenge, potentially limiting the completeness and accuracy of available data on the scale of antimicrobial resistance.

Nigeria Adopts One Health Strategy

At the centre of Nigeria’s response is the One Health approach, which recognises the interconnectedness of human health, animal health, agriculture and the environment.

The approach seeks to address the spread of resistant organisms across sectors rather than treating antimicrobial resistance solely as a medical problem.

The inappropriate or excessive use of antibiotics and other antimicrobials in livestock production can contribute to the emergence and spread of resistant organisms, with potential consequences for humans through food, direct contact and environmental pathways.

The Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Dr Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, said antimicrobial resistance posed a significant threat to agricultural productivity, food safety and national food security, in addition to its effects on human health.

He said the agricultural sector would focus on promoting responsible antimicrobial use, strengthening food safety systems, expanding agricultural extension services and educating farmers on good agricultural practices and biosecurity.

Abdullahi emphasised the need to provide farmers with appropriate guidance and sustainable alternatives to protect livestock, crops, consumers and the environment.

The government also aims to ensure that interventions reach farms and rural communities rather than remaining confined to policy documents and healthcare facilities.

Environmental protection is another critical component of the strategy, as resistant organisms and antimicrobial residues can spread through water, soil and waste systems.

The Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abbas Lawal, said antimicrobial resistance crossed sectoral boundaries, linking human and animal health with farming, food production and environmental management.

He stressed the need for coordinated interventions involving the relevant ministries and other stakeholders.

Government Strengthens Antimicrobial Stewardship

As part of its domestic response, the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare has implemented an antimicrobial stewardship programme over the past two and a half years.

The programme seeks to promote appropriate prescribing and responsible medicine use in federal hospitals and other participating healthcare facilities.

Antimicrobial stewardship involves ensuring that patients receive the right medicine at the correct dose and for the appropriate duration, while avoiding unnecessary or ineffective treatment.

Pate also disclosed that a clinical governance task force was established earlier in 2026 to develop guidance on hospital practices that expose patients to healthcare-associated infections and contribute to the spread of drug-resistant organisms.

Improved infection prevention and control measures, including better hygiene, appropriate clinical procedures and timely diagnosis, are expected to reduce the spread of infections and the unnecessary use of antimicrobials.

The government is also relying on regulatory agencies to address weaknesses in medicine quality and distribution.

Pate said previous international commitments, including the United Nations General Assembly’s political declarations on antimicrobial resistance in 2014 and 2024, the Muscat Ministerial Manifesto and the 2024 Jeddah commitments, had established important foundations for global action.

He maintained that the priority now was to translate those commitments into measurable outcomes.

Abuja Compact To Drive Implementation

The December conference is expected to adopt the Abuja Compact on Antimicrobial Resistance, an action-oriented framework being developed through consultations with member states and other stakeholders.

The proposed compact is intended to strengthen implementation, coordination and accountability in the global response to drug resistance.

Lawal outlined four priority areas that Nigeria’s relevant ministries intend to pursue.

The first is a whole-of-government approach supported by a joint One Health coordination mechanism that will continue beyond the conference.

The second is to expand practical interventions across sectors, including responsible antimicrobial use in agriculture and animal production, as well as safer water and waste management.

The third is to ensure that the conference is inclusive, allowing governments, scientists, civil society organisations, the private sector, the media and communities to contribute to the response.

The fourth is accountability, including public reporting on Nigeria’s progress and support for a tracking mechanism to monitor implementation of the Abuja Compact.

These priorities are intended to ensure that commitments made at the conference lead to sustained action across the country’s health, agriculture and environmental sectors.

Conference To Test Global Commitment

Nigeria’s hosting of the conference presents an opportunity to strengthen Africa’s participation in international efforts to address antimicrobial resistance.

The partnership between the Nigerian government and the Quadripartite organisations reflects the need for countries to coordinate policies across public health, veterinary services, agriculture and environmental management.

However, the success of the gathering will depend on whether governments translate their commitments into sustained investments, stronger surveillance systems and effective interventions.

Beyond the adoption of the Abuja Compact, the ultimate test will be whether fewer people die from infections that no longer respond to available medicines, farmers can protect animal and plant health responsibly, and countries build resilient systems capable of detecting and containing drug resistance.

For Nigeria, the conference will also provide an opportunity to demonstrate how African countries can contribute to a coordinated global response to a threat that recognises no national borders.