Chidimma Uchegbu -Abuja
Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, has urged Nigerians, especially health professionals, to stop the inappropriate and unprescribed use of antibiotics in humans, animals, and plants.
The Minister made the call in Abuja on Tuesday, during the Flag-Off ceremony of the 2025 World Antimicrobial Resistance Awareness Week (WAAW). He was represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr. Chinyere Ijeoma Akujobi.
The 2025 WAAW theme, “Act Now, Protect Our Present, Secure Our Future,” underscores the urgent need for all Nigerians to take collective action against the misuse of antimicrobials.
In a statement signed by the Assistant Chief Executive Officer (Information) Press and Public Relations Department, Ogochukwu Igboamalu stated that the Minister calls on citizens, professionals, and stakeholders across sectors to play their part in safeguarding public health today and preserving the effectiveness of life-saving medicines for generations to come
In his address, Mukhtar explained that Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) occurs when disease-causing agents such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites no longer respond to treatments that were previously effective. He described AMR as one of the most critical public health threats globally, limiting the ability to treat common infections in humans and animals.
He noted that projections indicate that by 2050, AMR could result in up to 10 million deaths annually worldwide, with Africa likely accounting for about 4 million of those deaths. The Minister reiterated the need for clinicians, veterinarians, and other practitioners to use antimicrobials responsibly and prudently, especially in humans and food-producing animals.
Earlier, the Chief Veterinary Officer of Nigeria (CVON), Dr. Samuel Anzaku, in his welcome address, stressed that AMR is a One Health challenge requiring urgent, bold, and coordinated action.
Represented by the National Coordinator for PPR, Dr. Patience Tomoh, he noted that the misuse of antimicrobials across humans, animals, and crops continues to drive resistance, threatening food systems, economies, and sustainable development.
The Director-General, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, (NCDC), who was represented by Dr. Nasir Ahmed, reiterated the need to strengthen surveillance, promote responsible use of antimicrobials, and deepen collaboration across all sectors of the One Health ecosystem.
Similarly, the Director of Pollution Control and Environmental Health at the Federal Ministry of Environment, represented by Chief Environmental Health Officer Chika Okpala, reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to advancing environmental surveillance, including wastewater and hotspot monitoring. She also highlighted ongoing efforts to promote antimicrobial stewardship through pollution control and WASH interventions.
Delivering a goodwill message, the representative of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), Dr. Solomon Olorunleke, reaffirmed FAO’s commitment to supporting food security and combating AMR in Nigeria. Additional goodwill messages were also presented by the World Health Organisation (WHO), Fleming Fund Msh, DRASA, DUCIT Blue, the NCDC, the Veterinary Council of Nigeria, and the National Veterinary Medical Association (NVMA).
The week-long World Antimicrobial Resistance Awareness campaign, which was formally flagged off today, will run until the 24th of November. Throughout the week, the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development and its One Health partners will carry out a series of sensitisation activities across Abuja and selected states, aimed at educating the public, engaging livestock farmers, and deepening national commitment to the responsible use of antimicrobials.
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