Nigeria to Adopt Abuja Compact as Africa Hosts Global AMR Summit for First Time
The Federal Government has announced plans to host the fifth Global High-Level Ministerial Conference on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) in Abuja from December 6 to 8, 2026, with participants expected to advance practical measures to combat drug-resistant infections.
The conference will be the first edition held on African soil and will focus on the theme, “One Health: Advancing Global AMR Commitments to Local Action.”
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, announced the development during a webinar on Tuesday, describing antimicrobial resistance as a silent pandemic that continues to claim lives in Nigeria and across the world.
He said the threat required a whole-of-government response involving the health, agriculture, livestock and environment sectors.
Antimicrobial resistance occurs when bacteria and other microorganisms develop resistance to medicines used to treat infections, making previously treatable diseases more difficult to manage.
Pate warned that the inappropriate use of antibiotics could worsen the situation, particularly when medicines were administered without proper diagnostic testing.
“AMR is a hidden pandemic. It’s silent. People go to hospitals, get treated for pneumonia, typhoid or whatever infectious disease without proper knowledge of sensitivity to the antimicrobial being used,” he said.
The minister explained that the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare had taken steps to improve antimicrobial stewardship in federal hospitals over the past two and a half years.
He said the ministry had also established a clinical governance task force to reduce hospital-acquired infections and was working with regulatory agencies to improve the quality of medicines and strengthen diagnostic services.
Pate named the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria, the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria and the Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria among the agencies collaborating with the ministry.
He added that efforts were being intensified to discourage indiscriminate drug sales and promote responsible antimicrobial use in human and animal healthcare.
The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Iziaq Salako, said the scale of the problem underscored the urgency of the planned conference.
Citing the 2022 Global Research on Antimicrobial Resistance study published in The Lancet, Salako said bacterial AMR was directly responsible for an estimated 1.27 million deaths worldwide in 2019, including approximately 64,500 deaths in Nigeria.
He warned that more than 39 million deaths could be directly attributable to AMR globally between 2025 and 2050 without effective intervention.
Salako said the conference would adopt the Abuja Compact on Antimicrobial Resistance, which is being developed through consultations with member states.
He explained that the compact was intended to move countries beyond declarations and commitments towards practical implementation.
The Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Dr Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, said AMR was a growing threat to food security, agricultural productivity and public health.
He warned that the inappropriate use of antimicrobials could weaken disease-control measures, compromise food safety and disrupt trade.
The Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abbas Lawal, also stressed that antimicrobial resistance was a cross-sectoral problem requiring collaboration.
“Resistance does not respect boundaries. It moves from people to animals, from farms to food, and through water, soil and waste systems. No single ministry can win this fight alone,” he said.
Lawal disclosed that the health, agriculture, livestock and environment ministries had committed to working together through a joint One Health coordination mechanism.
The arrangement is expected to promote responsible antimicrobial use, encourage inclusive participation at the conference and establish public reporting and monitoring mechanisms to track progress under the Abuja Compact.
FG Assures Nigerians on Ebola Preparedness
Separately, Pate said Nigeria had strengthened its preparedness against the possible importation of Ebola following an outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
He said the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention and Port Health Services were on alert, with border surveillance forming part of the preventive measures.
The minister further disclosed that President Bola Tinubu had established an Ebola task force chaired by the Chief of Staff to coordinate Nigeria’s response.
He maintained that there was currently no evidence of an Ebola case in the country.
Pate Clarifies Nigeria-US Health MoU
The minister also addressed concerns over the health memorandum of understanding between Nigeria and the United States, describing it as a non-binding and non-secret framework governed by Nigerian laws and policies.
He said the agreement provided for a transition period ending in 2030, allowing Nigeria to strengthen domestic health financing and gradually reduce its dependence on external support.
According to Pate, the United States has supported Nigeria’s HIV, tuberculosis and malaria programmes for 25 years.
He said President Tinubu approved a six per cent increase in the health budget following a shift in US policy in 2025, as part of Nigeria’s commitment to mobilise more than $3 billion in additional health funding before 2030.
Pate insisted that the agreement did not compromise Nigeria’s sovereignty or conflict with existing national laws.
“There’s nothing in that MoU that is inconsistent with our national policies and existing laws. Our sovereignty was safeguarded. The MoU is available under Freedom of Information,” he said.
He urged Nigerians to engage responsibly with national issues and avoid circulating misleading information for social media attention.
