Mapping of Antibiotic Resistance Surveillance Data Gaps in the North East Geopolitical Zone of Nigeria

Comprehensive antimicrobial resistance (AMR) surveillance data are essential for guiding national action plans, yet significant gaps in AMR monitoring infrastructure persist across Nigeria's geopolitical zones, particularly the North East. This study systematically mapped AMR surveillance data gaps in the North East geopolitical zone comprising Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Taraba, and Yobe States. A survey of publicly available AMR surveillance reports, published literature, and gray literature from the zone was conducted between 2020 and 2024. Key informant interviews with laboratory directors and state epidemiologists supplemented secondary data. AMR surveillance capacity was assessed using WHO's AMR surveillance system maturity model indicators. Results revealed that no North East state had a formal AMR sentinel surveillance network reporting to the national AMR database. Published AMR studies from the zone were sparse, representing only 6.2 percent of Nigerian AMR literature despite constituting 17 percent of national population. Blood culture capacity was unavailable in most primary and secondary health facilities. Only two tertiary hospitals conducted routine antibiograms, with results informing local prescribing but not reaching a centralized system. These findings constitute the first systematic AMR surveillance gap assessment for the North East zone and provide an evidence base for prioritized AMR infrastructure investment and integration of zonal hospitals into the Nigerian AMR surveillance network. Keywords: antimicrobial resistance surveillance, North East Nigeria, data gaps, AMR network, sentinel surveillance.