The federal authorities has acknowledged gaps in Nigeria’s antimicrobial resistance (AMR) surveillance, saying accessible estimates might not absolutely mirror the nation’s burden of drug-resistant infections.
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Pate, disclosed this on Monday in Abuja at a joint One Health ministerial briefing forward of the fifth Global High-Level Ministerial Conference on AMR.
The convention is scheduled for Abuja from 6 to eight December 2026 and would be the first to be held on African soil. The convention theme is “One Health: Advancing Global AMR Commitments to Local Action.”
Mr Pate stated Nigeria had proof of antimicrobial resistance in hospitals, however surveillance gaps made it tough to provide correct nationwide estimates.
“The specific numbers depend on the surveillance capabilities. I have to admit that there are still gaps in surveillance,” he stated.
He added that Nigeria’s figures “may not be the same” as estimates from international locations with stronger surveillance techniques.
AMR happens when micro organism, viruses, fungi, and parasites change into immune to medicines used to deal with infections, making them much less efficient or ineffective.
Deaths recorded in Nigeria
Nigeria’s One Health Antimicrobial Resistance National Action Plan 2024-2028 estimates that 64,500 deaths in Nigeria in 2019 have been attributable to AMR, whereas 263,400 deaths have been related to AMR. It cautions that the figures are possible underestimated due to gaps in nationwide AMR surveillance.
Globally, the 2019 Global Research on Antimicrobial Resistance (GRAM) study estimated that bacterial AMR instantly brought on 1.27 million deaths and was related to 4.95 million deaths.
Mr Pate described AMR as a “hidden pandemic”, saying resistant infections have been typically not instantly recognised as the reason for extended sickness or therapy failure.
“Folks go to hospitals, get treated for pneumonia, typhoid, or whatever infectious disease. In some places, without proper knowledge of the sensitivity to the antimicrobial being used, individuals may suffer much longer than they should, and some may have complications or lose their lives,” he stated.
He stated Nigerian hospitals had recorded circumstances of sophisticated pneumonia the place sufferers obtained a number of antibiotics however failed to enhance.
“You don’t know why the patient is not getting better, but the root cause is antimicrobial resistance,” he stated.
Surveillance gaps
The minister’s feedback come as efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s skill to generate AMR knowledge.
In December 2025, Nigeria launched its first nationally consultant AMR survey to ascertain a nationwide baseline on antimicrobial resistance and strengthen routine surveillance.
The survey is designed to cowl 40 to 45 randomly chosen well being amenities throughout the nation and contain about 35,000 sufferers suspected of getting bloodstream infections.
The train can be anticipated to evaluate the burden of AMR, together with morbidity, mortality and the price of resistant infections, whereas strengthening laboratory and knowledge techniques.
A 2025 study assessing 302 laboratories in Nigeria additionally discovered important gaps in their capability to assist AMR surveillance.
Only 7.3 per cent of the laboratories surveyed have been thought-about absolutely prepared for AMR Surveillance, whereas 12.3 per cent reported taking part in AMR surveillance.
The researchers stated AMR surveillance was concentrated in authorities and tertiary laboratories, leaving lower-level and rural amenities underused and ensuing in gaps in community-level knowledge.
Government response
Mr Pate stated the federal government is responding to AMR via a whole-of-government method involving the well being, agriculture, livestock and atmosphere sectors.
He stated the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare had operated an antimicrobial stewardship programme in federal hospitals for the previous two and a half years to advertise acceptable antimicrobial use.
He additionally stated a scientific governance activity drive was established earlier this 12 months to information hospital practices that might expose sufferers to healthcare-associated infections.
Other measures, he stated, embrace stronger regulatory oversight, improved pharmaceutical distribution, expanded diagnostic capability and coaching of well being employees.
Mr Pate stated vaccination and an infection prevention additionally assist scale back the necessity for antimicrobials. He urged Nigerians to keep away from indiscriminate antibiotic use and search medical recommendation earlier than taking them.
“It’s not every cough that needs to use antibiotics. It’s not every catarrh that needs to use antibiotics,” he stated.
Conference
The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Iziaq Salako, stated the December convention would give attention to reviewing progress, accelerating high-impact interventions and strengthening world AMR governance.
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He stated the convention would additionally search to develop the Abuja Compact on Antimicrobial Resistance, which member states and stakeholders are shaping via consultations.
The Minister of Environment, Balarabe Lawal, stated resistant organisms may transfer between people, animals, farms, meals techniques and the atmosphere.
Mr Lawal stated the 4 ministries main Nigeria’s One Health response had dedicated to joint coordination, sector-specific motion, public reporting and a tracking mechanism for implementation of the Abuja Compact.
Mr Pate stated the federal government would proceed working with state governments, private-sector stakeholders and improvement companions to strengthen Nigeria’s response to AMR.
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