The Federal Government has raised the alarm over antimicrobial resistance (AMR), warning that drug-resistant infections pose a growing threat to human health, agriculture and food security.
The government said antimicrobial resistance was estimated to have caused 64,500 deaths in Nigeria in 2019, as it called for urgent action to prevent antibiotics and other life-saving medicines from becoming ineffective.
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Pate, raised the concern on Monday in Abuja during a joint ministerial press conference involving the ministries responsible for health, agriculture, livestock development and the environment.
The briefing came 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 will bring together ministers, scientists, development partners and other stakeholders to strengthen the global fight against drug-resistant infections.
Pate warned that the growing resistance of bacteria and other disease-causing organisms to medicines could make common infections more difficult to treat, while increasing the risks associated with surgery and childbirth.
“Antimicrobial resistance is one of the gravest threats of our time,” he said, warning that when antibiotics and other antimicrobials stop working, routine infections can become dangerous and healthcare costs rise for families.
He said the challenge required governments to move beyond international declarations and translate existing commitments into concrete action.
Pate cited the 2024 United Nations General Assembly Political Declaration on AMR, the Muscat Ministerial Manifesto and the Jeddah Commitments as key international frameworks for tackling the threat.
He said Nigeria was proud to host the fifth ministerial conference, which will be the first to take place on African soil.
The conference’s theme is “One Health: Advancing Global AMR Commitment Through Local Action.”
The One Health approach recognises the links between human, animal and environmental health, with the government seeking coordinated action across these sectors to contain the spread of drug resistance.
Also speaking, the Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, warned that antimicrobial resistance could undermine agricultural production, threaten food safety and weaken efforts to control diseases among animals and crops.
He cautioned that the inappropriate or excessive use of antimicrobials could reduce productivity and create wider risks for the food supply chain.
Represented by the Director of Plant Health and Pest Control Services, Iwendi Grace Odunola, Abdullahi identified responsible antimicrobial and agrochemical use, stronger food safety systems, expanded agricultural extension services and improved farmer education as priorities.
The government said coordinated policies, stronger surveillance and sustainable interventions would be crucial to addressing antimicrobial resistance across sectors.
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