Wednesday, January 21, 2026 - The Federal Government has unveiled plans to increase the contribution of Nigeria’s livestock sub-sector to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product from $32bn to over $74bn within the next 10 years.
The Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha,
disclosed this on Tuesday in Ilorin during a livestock stakeholders’ engagement
organized by the Kwara State Government, which brought together more than 250
players across the livestock value chain.
Represented at the event by his Special Adviser, Mr Mark
Mbaram, the minister said the Federal Government was committed to repositioning
the livestock sector as a major driver of food security, job creation, and
economic growth.
According to Maiha, food security remains a critical
component of national security, which underpins the government’s decision to
place livestock development on the front burner.
He said the ministry had developed a National Livestock
Growth Acceleration Strategy aimed at boosting productivity and increasing the
sector’s contribution to the economy.
“The strategy has been internalised and approved by the
National Economic Council. A special committee has also been set up to focus on
ranching as a sustainable model for livestock development,” he said.
Maiha noted that the era of open grazing and itinerant
herding is no longer sustainable, stressing that ranching remains the most
viable option for modern livestock production.
“The era of nomadism is gradually fading because it is no
longer productive or profitable. Even my minister, who is a Fulani man, has
consistently emphasized that ranching is the way forward. It allows for better
animal management, higher productivity, and increased returns on investment,”
he added.
The minister highlighted opportunities in the livestock
sector, including beef production, poultry, dairy farming, micro-ruminants, and
job creation, noting that while the sector had previously posed challenges to
national development, it now has the potential to become a major economic
asset.
Maiha commended the Kwara State Government for its
commitment to livestock development, describing the state as a critical partner
in implementing the ministry’s vision.
In her remarks, Kwara State Commissioner for Livestock
Development, Mrs Oloruntoyosi Thomas, said the state government was determined
to address challenges confronting the livestock sub-sector through stakeholder
engagement and policy-driven interventions. She noted that participants at the
programme included poultry farmers, pastoralists, crop farmers, ranchers’
associations, feed millers, the Nigerian Animal Science Association, the
Veterinary Council of Nigeria, and young farmers’ groups.
Also speaking, the Director of Livestock Services in the
ministry, Mohammed Ahmad Umar, said the sector had suffered years of neglect
when it was under the Ministry of Agriculture, despite its huge economic
potential. He added that the engagement was aimed at bringing value-chain
actors together to identify challenges and proffer sustainable solutions.
“Kwara State is committed to improving the livestock sector
through partnerships with the private sector. We are also creating
opportunities for financial support, market access, and off-taker arrangements
for farmers,” Umar said.
The Director of Veterinary Services, Dr Olugbon Abdullateef
Salman, stressed the importance of animal health in livestock productivity,
urging farmers to prioritise vaccination and proper animal care.
“Livestock farming is a profitable venture, but only when
animals are healthy. Vaccination prevents diseases, reduces losses, and also
protects humans from zoonotic infections that can be transmitted through the
consumption of infected animals,” he said.
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