By Fatima Saka
ABUJA, Nigeria — The Federal Government has warned that antimicrobial resistance (AMR) threatens lives, with an estimated 64,500 deaths attributable to the problem in Nigeria in 2019, while declaring its determination to end the country’s dependence on foreign health funding by 2030.
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, said Nigeria could no longer rely indefinitely on taxpayers from other countries to finance healthcare for its citizens, stressing the need for domestic investment to achieve health sovereignty, strengthen public healthcare delivery and safeguard national health security.
Pate spoke on Monday in Abuja during a joint ministerial press briefing ahead of the Fifth Global High-Level Ministerial Conference on Antimicrobial Resistance, scheduled to hold from December 6 to 8, 2026.
He described AMR as a silent pandemic that makes common infections increasingly difficult to treat, prolongs illnesses and increases the risk of complications and deaths.
According to figures presented at the briefing, antimicrobial resistance was estimated to have directly caused 1.27 million deaths globally in 2019, while approximately 64,500 deaths in Nigeria were attributable to the problem during the same year.
Pate acknowledged gaps in Nigeria’s surveillance systems, noting that stronger laboratory capacity, improved diagnostic services and reliable data were necessary to establish the full extent of the threat.
He said the Federal Government was adopting a multisectoral approach involving the health, agriculture, livestock and environment sectors because antimicrobial resistance could not be tackled by the health sector alone.
On health financing, Pate said Nigeria’s long-term dependence on external assistance was not sustainable, stressing that the government must increasingly take ownership of funding the country’s healthcare system.
According to him, the government is working towards a transition that will enable Nigeria to finance its health priorities sustainably by 2030, following changes in United States health assistance policy.
“For 20 years, we have been receiving those bilateral support from the US and other countries, sometimes without the visibility of even our government,” Pate said.
He explained that the United States had supported Nigeria’s health programmes, including those targeting HIV, tuberculosis and malaria, for more than two decades, benefiting millions of Nigerians.
However, following changes in US health assistance policy in 2025, he said Nigeria had resolved to take greater responsibility for sustaining these programmes rather than depend indefinitely on external funding.
Pate said the transition arrangement provided a framework for both countries to work towards an eventual exit from the existing dependence by 2030, adding that Nigeria would need to increase domestic investment to achieve the target.
He commended President Bola Tinubu for increasing the Federal Government’s health allocation to six per cent of its budget, stressing that Nigeria must commit its own resources if it hopes to reduce dependence on foreign assistance.
The minister said federal, state and local governments must increase their contributions to healthcare financing to sustain essential services and improve access to quality care, particularly in underserved communities.
He added that the government was prioritising stronger primary healthcare, expanded health insurance coverage, improved laboratory services, local production of medicines and medical commodities, and better preparedness for public health emergencies.
Pate maintained that the memorandum of understanding between Nigeria and the United States was non-binding, consistent with Nigeria’s national policies and existing laws, and did not undermine the country’s sovereignty.
He said the agreement provided a framework for cooperation based on Nigeria’s health priorities and was publicly available.
AMR Threatens Thousands of Lives
Addressing antimicrobial resistance, Pate explained that patients suffering from conditions such as pneumonia and typhoid could experience prolonged illness or die when the microorganisms causing their infections no longer responded to the medicines prescribed.
He noted that inappropriate antibiotic use in livestock production could accelerate resistance, which could subsequently affect humans through food systems and environmental pathways.
The minister said the Federal Ministry of Health had implemented an antimicrobial stewardship programme in federal hospitals over the past two and a half years to promote responsible prescribing and appropriate medicine use.
He added that a clinical governance task force established earlier in 2026 was working to improve hospital practices, strengthen infection prevention and control, and reduce healthcare-associated infections.
Pate also highlighted the roles of regulatory agencies, including the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control and the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria, in checking counterfeit medicines and curbing the indiscriminate sale of antimicrobial products.
He said the government was expanding diagnostic capabilities to help healthcare professionals identify infections and determine the most appropriate treatments.
The minister further identified research and development, local pharmaceutical production and the exploration of Nigeria’s biodiversity as potential avenues for developing new antimicrobials and improving access to quality medicines.
Salako Urges Nigerians to Use Antibiotics Responsibly
The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Iziaq Adekunle Salako, urged Nigerians to support efforts to tackle antimicrobial resistance by using antibiotics responsibly.
Salako stressed that not every illness required antibiotics, warning that unnecessary or inappropriate use of the medicines could accelerate resistance and make infections increasingly difficult to treat.
He urged members of the public to seek appropriate medical advice rather than use antibiotics indiscriminately, noting that responsible medicine use was essential to preserving the effectiveness of existing treatments.
The Federal Government said strengthening public awareness, improving professional guidance and enforcing appropriate standards for medicine distribution and use were important components of Nigeria’s response to AMR.
Nigeria to Host Global AMR Conference
The government announced that Nigeria would host the Fifth Global High-Level Ministerial Conference on Antimicrobial Resistance in Abuja from December 6 to 8, 2026, marking the first time the global gathering would take place on African soil.
The conference, themed “One Health: Advancing Global AMR Commitments to Local Action,” is expected to bring together governments, scientists, development partners, civil society organisations and other stakeholders to accelerate action against antimicrobial resistance.
The four ministries responsible for health and social welfare, agriculture and food security, livestock development, and the environment are coordinating preparations under the One Health approach, which recognises the interconnectedness of human, animal and environmental health.
The ministers said the conference would provide an opportunity to review progress, strengthen global cooperation and advance the proposed Abuja Compact on Antimicrobial Resistance.
The compact is being developed through consultations with member states and stakeholders to translate international commitments into practical interventions and measurable results.
The Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Dr Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, said responsible antimicrobial use, stronger food safety systems, improved agricultural extension services and better farming practices were necessary to contain resistance.
He stressed that inappropriate use of antimicrobials could undermine disease control, threaten food safety, disrupt trade and affect farmers’ livelihoods.
Similarly, the Minister of Environment, Alhaji Abbas Lawal, said antimicrobial resistance could spread between people, animals and the environment through farms, food, water, soil and waste systems.
He said the four ministries had committed to strengthening joint coordination, promoting responsible antimicrobial use across sectors and establishing mechanisms to monitor and publicly report progress.
FG Strengthens Ebola Preparedness
Pate also assured Nigerians that the Federal Government was strengthening surveillance and preparedness measures to guard against the possible introduction and spread of Ebola in the country.
He said Nigeria had been working with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, the World Health Organisation and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention to strengthen border monitoring, surveillance and emergency response arrangements.
The minister commended regional institutions and international health partners for supporting affected countries, particularly the Democratic Republic of the Congo, in responding to the outbreak.
He said the Nigerian government had activated a coordinated response involving relevant ministries and public health agencies, with resources made available to strengthen preparedness.
According to him, the NCDC and Port Health Services were monitoring developments and working to ensure that appropriate measures remained in place to protect Nigerians.
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Pate said there was no evidence of an Ebola case in Nigeria at the time of the briefing, assuring the public that the government would continue working with regional and international partners to contain potential threats.
He reiterated that stronger domestic health financing, improved disease surveillance, responsible use of medicines and effective collaboration across sectors were critical to protecting Nigerians and building a sustainable healthcare system.
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