Nigeria To Host Global Meeting On Antimicrobial Resistance As Threat Grows Worldwide

Nigeria is set to host the world’s largest ministerial gathering on antimicrobial resistance (AMR), a health threat that is worsening globally, especially in low and middle income countries.

The 5th High-Level Ministerial Meeting on AMR, with the theme: “One Health — Advancing Global AMR Commitments through Local Action”, will be held for the first time in Africa.

At a virtual media briefing organised ahead of the meeting, international health officials highlighted the rising toll of drug-resistant infections and the need for countries to translate global commitments into concrete national actions. Delegates from more than 100 countries are expected to attend the Abuja meeting, including presidents of Botswana, Ghana and Nigeria.

AMR, caused by the misuse and overuse of antibiotics and other antimicrobial medicines has been listed by the World Health Organization as one of the top 10 global health threats.

Speaking during the briefing, Dr Jean Pierre Nyemazi of the Quadripartite Joint Secretariat on AMR said the problem is no longer limited to hospital settings. It now affects food systems, livestock, the environment and economies.

“Drug resistance continues to kill many people, particularly in low- and middle-income regions. AMR occurs when medicines used to treat infections become less effective, making diseases harder, and sometimes impossible, to cure,” he said.

The upcoming meeting in Nigeria is expected to review progress made since the 2024 UN General Assembly High-Level Meeting on AMR, as well as follow-up commitments from the 2024 Jeddah ministerial meeting hosted by Saudi Arabia.

According to Dr Nyemazi, one of the global targets endorsed in 2024 is to reduce AMR-related deaths by 10 per cent  by 2030, compared with an estimated 4.9 million deaths associated with drug resistance in 2019. Simple measures such as hand hygiene and better access to appropriate antimicrobials could help achieve this, he said.

Unlike past ministerial meetings, which were mostly attended by health officials from Europe, the 2026 edition is expected to draw participation from ministers of agriculture, environment and finance, reflecting the wider impact of AMR.

Nigeria’s Ministerial Global Envoy on AMR, Dr Ayoade Alakija, said the meeting would differ from previous editions by adopting a broader, multi-sectoral approach.

“The meeting will not just involve ministers of health but also those in agriculture, environment and finance to address AMR across all sectors, including animal health, food systems and the environment,” she said.

Alakija said addressing AMR requires going beyond protecting medicines to tackling prevention and safeguarding ecosystems. “We need to ensure that not only humans are protected, but also our animals, agriculture, food systems and environment,” she said.

She also highlighted the economic implications of tackling AMR, noting that investment in response efforts could yield significant returns. “If we invest one dollar in AMR, the return on investment is 11 times,” she said, adding that financing remains a major challenge for many countries.

According to her, the Nigeria meeting will focus on practical solutions, including strengthening prevention systems, improving surveillance and expanding water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) interventions. She stressed that without adequate funding, national action plans on AMR would remain largely unimplemented.

“If we do not have the resources to fund these plans, then implementation becomes difficult. That is why those responsible for financing must be part of the conversation,” she said.

Alakija also referenced the Abuja Declaration, in which African countries pledged to allocate 15 per cent of their national budgets to health, suggesting that renewed commitments could support AMR responses.

Alakija said while AMR has often been framed as a challenge for high-income countries, low and middle-income nations face significant gaps in prevention, diagnosis and regulation of antimicrobial use across sectors.

“Commitments made at the global level must be translated into local actions that address these gaps,” she said, adding that the meeting itself should be seen as part of a broader, ongoing effort.

Meanwhile, Chairperson of the Global AMR Media Alliance, Shobha Shukla, warned that although AMR poses a universal risk, its impact is uneven.

“In settings with weaker public health systems, particularly in low and middle-income countries, the risks are significantly higher,” she said.

She stressed the need to improve access to timely diagnosis, treatment and care, while also preventing avoidable infections.