The Federal Government has raised the alarm over the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), revealing that drug-resistant infections contributed to an estimated 64,500 deaths in Nigeria in 2019.
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, described antimicrobial resistance as a “hidden pandemic” that requires urgent and coordinated action across the health, agriculture and environmental sectors.
Pate spoke ahead of the Fifth Global High-Level Ministerial Conference on Antimicrobial Resistance, scheduled to hold in Abuja from December 6 to 8, 2026.
The conference, themed “One Health: Advancing Global AMR Commitments to Local Action,” is expected to bring together ministers, policymakers, health experts and development partners to strengthen the global response to drug-resistant infections.
Antimicrobial resistance occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites develop the ability to withstand medicines designed to eliminate them, making infections more difficult to treat and increasing the risk of severe illness and death.
The minister identified the inappropriate use of antibiotics and other antimicrobial medicines, coupled with inadequate infection prevention, diagnosis and disease surveillance, as factors contributing to the growing threat.
He called for stronger antimicrobial stewardship in hospitals, improved laboratory capacity, effective disease surveillance and responsible prescription and use of antibiotics.
Pate also urged Nigerians to stop taking antibiotics without appropriate medical advice, stressing that antibiotics do not treat viral infections and their misuse accelerates the development of drug resistance.
He emphasised that tackling AMR requires more than access to medicines, noting that vaccination, early diagnosis, effective infection prevention and control, and public awareness are critical to reducing the burden of resistant infections.
Also raising concerns, the Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abbas Lawal, warned that antimicrobial resistance spreads across human, animal and environmental systems, making a coordinated response imperative.
Lawal explained that resistant microorganisms could spread through farms, food systems, water, soil and waste, stressing the need for closer collaboration between health and environmental authorities.
He called for responsible antimicrobial use, improved waste management, stronger water and sanitation systems, and effective monitoring to prevent the spread of resistant microorganisms.
The minister further urged relevant authorities to ensure that commitments made at national and international levels translate into measurable results, particularly in communities vulnerable to environmental contamination and poor sanitation.
Similarly, the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Iziaq Adekunle Salako, said the forthcoming conference would provide an opportunity for countries to assess progress, identify gaps and strengthen international cooperation against AMR.
Salako said discussions would focus on accelerating interventions, improving global governance and translating existing commitments into practical action at national and community levels.
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 warned that bacterial AMR could directly cause more than 39 million deaths globally between 2025 and 2050 without effective interventions.
He said the figures underscored the urgent need for stronger health systems, improved surveillance, responsible antimicrobial use and sustained investment in preventing and controlling drug-resistant infections.
Salako identified the proposed Abuja Compact as a key expected outcome of the conference, explaining that it would provide a framework for translating political commitments into concrete interventions, accountability and measurable progress.
The December conference is expected to be the first edition of the high-level ministerial meeting to take place on African soil, placing Nigeria at the centre of international efforts to address the growing threat.
The ministers maintained that protecting the effectiveness of existing medicines would require sustained political commitment and joint action across healthcare, environmental protection, agriculture and other relevant sectors.
