The Federal Government has called for stronger collaboration among the health, agriculture, livestock and environment sectors to combat antimicrobial resistance (AMR) ahead of the fifth Global High-Level Ministerial Conference on AMR scheduled for Abuja from 6th to 8th December, 2026.
The call was made on Monday 12th of October 2026 during a joint ministerial briefing involving the Ministries of Health and Social Welfare, Agriculture and Food Security, Livestock Development, and Environment.
The conference, the first of its kind to be hosted in Africa, will bring together government officials, scientists, development partners and other stakeholders to advance practical solutions to drug resistance under the theme, “One Health: Advancing Global AMR Commitments to Local Action.”
Speaking at the briefing, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, said AMR was a growing public health threat, estimated to have contributed to about 64,500 deaths in Nigeria in 2019.
He said the government was strengthening antimicrobial stewardship, pharmaceutical regulation and laboratory diagnostic services while promoting vaccination, infection prevention and responsible antibiotic use.
The Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Dr Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, warned that inappropriate antimicrobial use could threaten livestock health, crop production, food safety, trade and farmers’ livelihoods. He called for improved farmer education, biosecurity and extension services.
The Ministry of Livestock Development, Alhaji Idi Mukhtar Maiha also advocated reducing unnecessary antibiotic use through vaccination, proper hygiene, improved animal nutrition and veterinary supervision, stressing that farmers must observe prescribed withdrawal periods before treated animals and their products enter the food supply chain.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abbas Lawal, said resistant microorganisms could spread through contaminated water, soil and poorly managed waste. He disclosed that the four ministries had committed to establishing a joint coordination mechanism to sustain collaboration beyond the conference.
In a joint statement delivered by the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Iziaq Adekunle Salako, the government said the conference would review progress, accelerate interventions and strengthen international cooperation.
Salako cited a study published in The Lancet estimating that bacterial AMR directly caused 1.27 million deaths worldwide in 2019. He warned that more than 39 million deaths could be directly attributable to AMR between 2025 and 2050 without effective intervention.
He added that the conference would advance the proposed Abuja Compact on Antimicrobial Resistance, aimed at translating international commitments into measurable action through a coordinated One Health approach.
