Nigeria to host 5th global ministerial conference on antimicrobial resistance in December

Nigeria will host the 5th Global High-Level Ministerial Conference on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) in Abuja from 6 to 8 December 2026, marking the first time the global conference will be held on African soil.

The Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, disclosed this on Monday at a joint One Health ministerial press conference held in Abuja ahead of the conference.

The minister, who was represented by the ministry’s Director of Plant Health and Pest Control Services, Iwendi Grace Odunola, said the conference would provide Nigeria with an opportunity to demonstrate African leadership in tackling antimicrobial resistance through practical local interventions.

The conference, themed “One Health: Advancing Global AMR Commitment Through Local Action”, is expected to bring together ministers and other stakeholders to review progress, accelerate interventions and strengthen global action against AMR.

Abdullahi said antimicrobial resistance was not only a human health challenge but also posed a significant threat to agriculture, food security, food safety and farmers’ livelihoods.

He explained that while antimicrobials were necessary for protecting human health and, in specific circumstances, animal and plant health, their inappropriate or excessive use could accelerate resistance and undermine disease control.

According to him, AMR could reduce agricultural productivity, compromise food safety, disrupt international trade and threaten farmers’ livelihoods.

“Addressing AMR is therefore essential to safeguarding our food systems and strengthening national resilience,” he said.

The minister stressed the importance of collaboration among the Federal Ministries of Health and Social Welfare, Agriculture and Food Security, Livestock Development, and Environment in addressing the challenge.

He said the One Health approach was necessary because antimicrobial resistance could emerge and spread across humans, animals, food systems and the environment.

“No single ministry or sector can adequately address this challenge in isolation,” he said.

Abdullahi said the agricultural sector was prioritising the responsible use of antimicrobials and agrochemicals, stronger food safety systems, expanded agricultural extension services and greater farmer education on good agricultural practices.

He added that the government was also promoting biosecurity and integrated pest management to provide farmers with sustainable alternatives that would protect crops, livestock, consumers and the environment.

The minister said Nigeria’s hosting of the conference in December presented an opportunity to showcase practical interventions and strengthen partnerships that would deliver measurable results.

He urged stakeholders to ensure that discussions at the conference went beyond declarations and led to concrete action at farm, community, institutional and national levels.

In a draft joint ministerial statement prepared for the engagement, the Federal Government described AMR as one of the gravest threats facing the world.

The statement noted that when antibiotics and other antimicrobials became ineffective, routine infections could become more dangerous, while medical procedures such as surgery and childbirth carried greater risks and healthcare costs increased.

It said Nigeria’s hosting of the conference presented an opportunity to advance existing global commitments, including the 2024 Political Declaration of the United Nations General Assembly on AMR, the Muscat Ministerial Manifesto and the Jeddah Commitments.

According to the statement, the conference would adopt the Abuja Compact on Antimicrobial Resistance, which was being developed through consultations with member states and other stakeholders.

The compact is expected to provide a framework for translating global commitments on AMR from declarations into implementation.

The government said antimicrobial resistance did not respect sectoral boundaries, as it could spread from people to animals, from farms to food, and through water, soil and waste.

It therefore announced that the four ministries would strengthen joint action through a One Health coordination mechanism that would continue beyond the December conference.

The ministries also committed to promoting responsible antimicrobial use in hospitals, farms and animal production, while improving the safe management of waste and water.

They pledged to ensure that the conference was inclusive, giving governments, scientists, civil society organisations, young people, the private sector and communities opportunities to contribute.

The government further committed to publicly reporting Nigeria’s progress on AMR and supporting follow-up actions under the Abuja Compact through the Troika mechanism.

The ministers called on countries, development partners, institutions and citizens to support efforts to combat antimicrobial resistance.

The conference is expected to focus particularly on translating international commitments into local actions capable of protecting human health, agriculture, food systems and the environment.