FG targets $74bn livestock industry in 5 years – Minister

….as maiden Nat’l Council on Livestock Devt holds in Yola

By Gabriel Ewepu

ABUJA – THE Federal Government, Monday, disclosed moves to transform the livestock sector into a $74 billion industry in five years under the National Livestock Growth Acceleration Strategy, NL-GAS, through the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development.

This was made known by the Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Maiha, in a speech delivered at the maiden National Council on Livestock Development, NCLD, with the theme ‘Livestock Rebirth: Accelerating Renewed Hope’, in Yola, Adamawa State.

Maiha who was elated described the meeting of the NCLD as “historic”, therefore, expressed optimism and hope that the livestock sector is being positioned to massively transform the nation’s food system landscape, and for global competitiveness with the huge potential the sector has, which had attracted global attention and investors just within one year President Bola Tinubu created the Ministry out of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, which had been long expected by stakeholders and Nigerians.

He said: “Exactly one year ago, our Ministry was established with a clear mandate: to transform the livestock sector from a traditional, often conflict-ridden practice, into a modern, sustainable, and economically vibrant industry.

“I am proud to report that, in this short period, we have laid a solid foundation for this transformation, guided by the National Livestock Growth Acceleration Strategy (NL-GAS), The National Livestock Master Plan and other laudable initiatives.

“The NL-GAS aims to transform our livestock industry from a $32billion to $74billion industry within the next 5 years. It encompasses increased productivity per head and increases population of our livestock.

“In line with our strategy, we are actively engaging with countries, community-based organizations, producer associations, indigenous companies, multinational companies and multi/bilateral development partners.

“These engagements have already begun to yield fruitful outcomes, including bilateral collaborations and strong expressions of interest from foreign direct investors eager to participate in Nigeria’s livestock sector.

“We are already in discussions with several companies who want to invest in key sectors such as dairy, beef, fodder, small ruminants, animal breeding, poultry, piggery and animal identification, amongst others.

“We will see the physical manifestation of these engagements in a few months. Development partners are already supporting us in dairy development, peace building and climate smart livestock production- many more are showing strong commitment and are coming as well.”

Meanwhile, the Minister highlighted some key achievements by the Ministry under his leadership including; Foundational Policy and Research – registration of eight new pasture species; developing the National Strategy and Action Plan on Animal Genetic Resources.

Infrastructure and Modernization – veterinary health delivery and farm-centre services; L- PRES provision of Solar powered Vaccine cold storage rooms, Solar powered boreholes, drinking troughs, Cattel Dips, Milk Collection Centers, Slaughter slaps and pasture development across the country; rehabilitation of National Veterinary Research Institute Vom, construction of modern laboratories by L-PRES; aggressive scaling up our capacity for animal health; expansion of livestock vaccine production capacity from 120 million to 850 million doses per annum at the National Veterinary Research Institute (NVRI) in Vom; securing herds against devastating zoonotic diseases.

Model Grazing Reserve Rehabilitation: inauguration of Wase Livestock Village in Plateau State under the rehabilitation of Nigeria’s 417 grazing reserves.

Others include Partnerships and Investment – target to double national milk production from 700,000 to 1, 4 million metric tonnes annually and cutting down $1.5 billion annual dairy import bill.

In his keynote address, the Special Adviser to the President on Livestock Reforms/Coordinator Livestock Reforms and Co-Chair, Presidential Livestock Reforms Implementation Committee, Prof Attahiru Jega, called on the National Council on Livestock Development to commence work with the ratification of the NCLD Delivery Compact.

Prof Jega who was represented by the Secretary, Presidential Livestock Reforms Implementation Committee, PLRIC, Prof Mohammed Kuta said, “Our collective mandate is to midwife a national transition from subsistence-oriented husbandry to a resilient, commercially viable livestock economy capable of driving inclusive growth and rural prosperity.

“In this regard, I call upon this Council to commence its work with the ratification of an “NCLD Delivery Compact.” This Compact should
constitute a binding, intergovernmental covenant, a mutual pledge by federal MDAs, states, and critical stakeholders to implement specific, measurable, and jointly verifiable actions.

“It shall stand as our public sector
scorecard, an instrument of transparency, mutual accountability, and unambiguous commitment to reform.

“Furthermore, I urge the Council to anchor all deliberations and decisions in evidence, particularly the extensive corpus of empirical analysis already undertaken and catalogued in the bibliography of the Ilorin Paper. These
include, inter alia, the National Livestock Transformation Plan (2019), the PLRIC Inception Report (2024), and the seminal findings of the National Livestock Conference Committee (2023).”

In a goodwill message, the Chairman, House Committee on Livestock Development, Hon Tasil Raji assured that the members of the Committee are working assiduously on legislations that would transform the livestock sector.

“As Chairman of the House Committee on Livestock Development, I wish to reaffirm the commitment of the National Assembly to supporting far-reaching reforms that will unlock the full potential of the livestock value chain.

“The Legislature remains a critical partner in this rebirth agenda, and we are resolute in exercising our constitutional mandate to provide the legislative framework, oversight, and policy direction required to propel the sector forward.

“In the House of Representatives, we are currently working on several legislative instruments aimed at addressing key challenges within the sector”, Raji added.

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