The Federal Government has welcomed a high-level Monitoring and Evaluation Mission from the African Union Inter-African Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR) to assess Nigeria’s preparedness and progress towards eradicating Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR) by 2030.
The mission, which commenced in Abuja on Monday, July 20, 2026, is supported by the European Union and other development partners. It aims to evaluate the implementation of Nigeria’s National Strategic Plan for PPR eradication, assess the country’s veterinary systems and institutional capacity, identify implementation gaps and recommend strategies to fast-track the country’s journey to a PPR-free status.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, the Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to eliminating PPR by 2030, despite the global eradication target being extended to 2040.
Maiha appreciated AU-IBAR for its continued support to Nigeria’s livestock sector, stressing that the government remains determined to eliminate the disease because of its devastating impact on millions of smallholder livestock farmers.
“We are working towards 2030. We cannot afford to relax because we understand the devastating impact of PPR on rural livelihoods. Entire flocks are being wiped out and for many households, particularly women, goats represent a critical source of income and financial security,” he said.
The Minister noted that the creation of the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development demonstrates President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s commitment to transforming the livestock sector into a major driver of food security, economic diversification, job creation and national prosperity.
He highlighted Nigeria’s progress in strengthening disease surveillance, laboratory diagnostics, veterinary governance, outbreak response, stakeholder engagement and vaccine availability. According to him, the ongoing review of the National Strategic Plan, facilitated by AU-IBAR, will further enhance coordinated efforts towards eradication.
Maiha also disclosed that the Federal Government is rehabilitating an abandoned facility at the National Veterinary Research Institute (NVRI) to support large-scale local vaccine production. He revealed that vaccine production equipment has already been procured and once installed, the facility will produce over 100 million vaccine doses to meet domestic demand and support regional animal health programmes.
He further revealed that 20 states have established dedicated livestock ministries or agencies, strengthening collaboration between the Federal Government and state governments in implementing animal health initiatives.
The Minister added that the government is investing in modern veterinary infrastructure, including veterinary hospitals, solar-powered vaccine storage facilities, quarantine centres and animal health control posts along international livestock corridors to improve disease surveillance and curb the cross-border spread of animal diseases.
He urged stakeholders to provide honest feedback throughout the assessment to help identify existing gaps and strengthen ongoing interventions.
“We need constructive criticism. If there are weaknesses, tell us. If there are gaps, point them out. We do not want false assurances; we want honest assessments that will help us strengthen our programme and achieve our objectives,” he said.
Earlier, AU-IBAR Head of Monitoring and Evaluation, Dr. Ibrahim Cherno Jagne, described Nigeria as a strategic player in Africa’s PPR eradication programme, noting that the country’s stakeholder engagement is the most comprehensive among nations visited under the continental assessment mission.
Jagne disclosed that the African Union, with support from the European Union, is implementing a continent-wide PPR eradication programme valued at approximately $437 million, while additional funding is being mobilised to strengthen surveillance, planning, monitoring and disease control across member states.
Also speaking, AU-IBAR Regional Coordinator for PPR Eradication in West Africa, Dr. Perdita Hilary Lopes, said Nigeria’s large sheep and goat population and extensive borders make the country central to Africa’s eradication strategy.
She emphasised the importance of risk-based vaccination, effective surveillance, functional cold chain systems, improved laboratory capacity, strong governance and enhanced cross-border collaboration, noting that Nigeria’s success will significantly influence Africa’s overall progress towards eliminating the disease.
Representatives of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Propcom+, the Veterinary Council of Nigeria, the Sheep and Goat Farmers Association of Nigeria and other development partners reaffirmed their commitment to supporting Nigeria’s eradication efforts through technical assistance, local vaccine production and sustained investment in veterinary services.
The AU-IBAR mission will engage federal and state veterinary authorities, research institutions, livestock producers and development partners to validate progress, identify implementation gaps and develop practical recommendations to accelerate Nigeria’s goal of achieving a PPR-free status by 2030.
