Nigeria to host fifth global AMR ministerial in Abuja in December 2026

Prof. Muhammad Pate, Nigeria's coordinating minister of health and social welfare, said the fifth Global High-Level Ministerial Conference on antimicrobial resistance will run in Abuja from 6 to 8 December 2026 under the theme "One Health: Advancing Global AMR Commitment Through Local Action." He spoke for the ministries of health and social welfare, agriculture and food security, livestock development, and environment at a joint ministerial press conference in Abuja on Monday. The four ministries are leading Nigeria's One Health response ahead of the meeting.

Pate said the priority now was to implement commitments made through the 2024 UN political declaration on AMR, the Muscat ministerial manifesto and the Jeddah commitments. "Antimicrobial resistance is one of the gravest threats of our time. When antibiotics and other antimicrobials stop working, routine infections become dangerous, surgery and childbirth carry greater risk, and the cost of care rises for every family," he said. The Federal Government estimates AMR caused 64,500 deaths in Nigeria in 2019.

Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, represented by Iwendi Grace Odunola, director of plant health and pest control services, said AMR posed a serious threat to agricultural production and food security. He warned that inappropriate or excessive use of antimicrobials could undermine disease control, reduce productivity and compromise food safety. Abdullahi said the One Health approach recognised the links between human, animal and environmental health and provided a framework for coordinated policies, surveillance and sustainable interventions. He identified responsible antimicrobial and agrochemical use, stronger food safety systems, expanded agricultural extension services and improved farmer education as priorities for the agricultural sector.

Global context

WHO says bacterial AMR was associated with more than 4.7 million deaths globally in 2021. Health Policy Watch reported that one in five laboratory-confirmed infections in WHO's Africa region are antibiotic resistant, and that people in low- and middle-income countries are 1.5 times more likely to die from AMR than those in high-income countries.

The 2024 UN political declaration committed countries to strengthening surveillance and addressing AMR through a One Health approach coordinating human, animal and environmental health, Health Policy Watch reported. WHO says only 10% of countries reported dedicated domestic funding for their national AMR plans in 2024, and 29% had costed and budgeted plans. Its Global Call to Action asks states and donors to help secure US$85 million per biennium for WHO's AMR work.

What the conference will cover

The government said the conference is expected to bring together ministers, scientists, development partners and other stakeholders to strengthen the global response to drug-resistant infections and translate existing commitments into practical action. WHO member states approved a new 10-year global action plan at the World Health Assembly, which runs through 2036 and implements targets set at the 2024 UN High-Level Meeting, including a 10% reduction in AMR deaths by 2030, Health Policy Watch reported.