By Iyemah David
Nigeria is set to host a high-level ministerial conference on antimicrobial resistance (AMR) featuring extensive policy sessions, global participation, and expanded media engagement, as organisers push for stronger translation of global commitments into local action.
This was disclosed on Monday via a webinar at the Global Media Briefing ahead of the 5th High-Level Ministerial Meeting on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR).
Dr Ayoade Alakija, Ministerial Global Envoy on AMR, Government of Nigeria, said the conference reflects an ongoing national and global effort to address AMR through a coordinated, multi-sectoral “One Health” approach involving human health, animal health, agriculture, and environmental systems.
Alakija noted that Nigeria’s engagement on AMR predates the upcoming ministerial meeting, stressing that the country has long been working on integrated responses across sectors rather than treating the issue as a standalone health challenge.
According to her, the ministerial advisory council will serve as a coordinating platform for the conference, bringing together ministers of health, agriculture, environment, livestock, and finance from across the world to strengthen alignment on policy and implementation.
She warned that AMR has historically been framed largely through the lens of high-income countries and pharmaceutical innovation, while overlooking the realities of low- and middle-income countries where access to basic antibiotics and infection prevention services remains uneven.
She highlighted concerns about the misuse and overuse of antibiotics in agriculture and food systems, noting that in some contexts antibiotics used in animals may exceed those available for human treatment, contributing to rising resistance.
She further called for a shift from high-level declarations to measurable local action, urging stronger accountability mechanisms and greater involvement of the media in translating AMR into simple, public-facing messages that communities can act on.
“Local action is critical,” she said, urging journalists to help educate the public on responsible antibiotic use, including discouraging unnecessary consumption of antibiotics for common illnesses without proper diagnosis.
On financing, she said the conference aims to move beyond rhetoric toward investment-driven solutions, referencing emerging analyses suggesting that every one dollar invested in AMR prevention could yield up to an 11-fold return.
She added that rather than focusing solely on developing new antibiotics, strategic investments in water, sanitation, surveillance, and infection prevention and control systems would deliver more immediate and cost-effective impact, particularly in resource-constrained settings.
While acknowledging that sovereign states remain responsible for implementation, she said the expectation is that commitments made at the conference will translate into actionable national plans that strengthen health systems and reduce AMR burden at the community level.
Organisers also confirmed that journalists would have multiple engagement opportunities throughout the three-day conference, which would feature about 20 panel discussions and seven keynote cabinet-level sessions.
She said media participation would be central to the event’s transparency and accountability framework, adding that journalists would not be restricted to formal plenary sessions.
She explained that dedicated press corners would be established to enable journalists to interact directly with ministers and senior officials during the conference, alongside structured media gaggles and briefing opportunities.
The conference is expected to attract more than 100 ministers globally, alongside top leadership from international organisations including the World Health Organization World Health Organisation, The Food and Agriculture Organisation and the World Intellectual Property Organization, World Intellectual Property Organisation as well as well as other partners within the quadripartite AMR framework.
She added that discussions are ongoing with several African heads of state, including leaders from Ghana and Botswana, who may attend the summit, while President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is expected to host a welcome dinner ahead of the conference.
She said the event would serve as a critical platform for strengthening political commitment, improving cross-sector coordination, and advancing practical solutions to one of the world’s fastest-growing health threats—antimicrobial resist
