From declarations to accountability: Nigeria 2026 and the global fight against antimicrobial resistance

In July 2025, Nigeria announced it would host the 5th Global High-Level Ministerial Conference on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) in Abuja in June 2026, the first such meeting in Africa. This comes at a critical moment, as AMR causes 1.27 million deaths annually and contributes to 5 million associated deaths worldwide. In Nigeria, AMR accounted for 64,500 direct deaths in 2021 and substantial economic losses. Previous commitments, including the Muscat Manifesto (2022) and Jeddah Commitments (2024), set ambitious targets, but implementation remains limited. The Abuja meeting offers an opportunity to reposition global AMR governance toward actionable, equitable outcomes. Key priorities include adopting an Abuja Outcome Document with measurable targets, securing sustainable financing, integrating stewardship into health and agricultural programmes, and advancing One Health surveillance. To ensure accountability, an annual AMR scorecard with comparable indicators and financing mechanisms is proposed. Centering African leadership and representation will be essential for translating rhetoric into results.