ABUJA, Nigeria (FN) — The World Health Organization says Nigeria loses more than 60,000 lives annually to antimicrobial resistance, warning that drug-resistant infections are a growing threat to health, food security and economic stability.
WHO Representative and Head of Mission to Nigeria, Dr. Pavel Ursu, disclosed the figures Tuesday in a message marking the 2025 World Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Awareness Week, themed “Act Now: Protect Our Present, Secure Our Future.”
AMR occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites evolve to resist medicines, making infections harder to treat and increasing the risk of severe illness and death. As a result, antibiotics and other antimicrobial drugs become ineffective, leaving common infections increasingly difficult or impossible to cure.
Ursu said AMR disproportionately affects low- and middle-income countries, including Nigeria, where vulnerable populations such as children under five face the highest risk. In 2021 alone, an estimated 50,500 deaths were directly attributed to bacterial AMR in Nigeria, with more than 227,000 associated cases.
Globally, AMR was linked to 4.71 million deaths in 2021, including 250,000 in sub-Saharan Africa. WHO estimates that drug resistance could cost the global economy nearly $1 trillion annually if left unchecked, and may claim up to 39 million lives by 2050. Nigeria’s burden places it among the hardest-hit countries in Africa.
Local hospitals report rising costs and longer patient stays due to drug-resistant infections, with doctors warning that common illnesses such as pneumonia and urinary tract infections are becoming harder to treat. Health experts say this strains Nigeria’s already stretched health system and worsens child and maternal mortality rates.
The Nigerian government has adopted a National Action Plan on AMR, coordinated by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, but funding and implementation remain limited. Ursu urged authorities to integrate AMR strategies into primary health care and strengthen surveillance systems to accelerate the response.
Nigeria is expected to host the fifth global high-level ministerial AMR conference in Abuja in June 2026, building on momentum from the 2024 United Nations General Assembly meeting on AMR. Ursu said the event will be an opportunity to position Nigeria as a leader in Africa’s AMR fight and align efforts with food security and climate initiatives.
He called for urgent investment in innovation, equitable access to medicines and diagnostics, and stronger health systems. “Every action counts,” Ursu said, citing examples from hospital administrators establishing stewardship teams to farmers adopting sustainable waste management practices.
“Investment in AMR action is smart and essential for a healthier, more secure future,” Ursu said. “We must act now to protect our present and secure our future.”
