The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to climate-smart livestock development and regional collaboration as Nigeria hosts a five-day Technical Working Group (TWG) Workshop on Climate Finance involving participants from Nigeria, Kenya and Zambia.
The workshop, facilitated by the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) in partnership with the African Group of Negotiators Experts Support (AGNES), commenced on Monday, July 27 and concluded on Friday, July 31, 2026.
Speaking during a courtesy visit by participants to his office in Abuja, the Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, described the initiative as a practical demonstration of African cooperation and knowledge exchange in addressing climate-related challenges affecting the livestock sector.
The Minister commended Kenya and Zambia for sharing their experiences in climate-smart livestock development, noting that the partnership would enable Nigeria to accelerate the adoption of sustainable livestock production systems while improving access to global climate finance opportunities.
Maiha said climate change is a shared challenge that requires collective action and the adoption of smart, nature-based solutions that can promote sustainable livestock production and improve livelihoods.
He reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to supporting the Technical Working Group, assuring participants of continued backing for capacity building, regional knowledge exchange and collaborative initiatives aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s participation in the global climate agenda.
Earlier, the Team Lead of the TWG-Nigeria, Dr. Peter Alike, said the workshop was designed to equip participants with practical skills in climate finance and proposal development to enhance Nigeria’s ability to secure funding for its Climate-Smart Livestock Programmes.
Similarly, the Team Lead of TWG-Kenya, Dr. Bernard Kimoro, described the regional engagement as a valuable platform for peer learning and innovation.
Kimoro noted that Kenya had also gained useful insights from Nigeria’s emerging livestock business models, particularly its digital livestock market systems.
The GIZ Project Manager, Adekunle Adeoye, appreciated the Ministry for its strong support in implementing the project, noting that the Ministry’s Technical Working Group had demonstrated commitment throughout the training programme.
According to him, the project is also facilitating South-South knowledge exchange, including an upcoming study visit to Colombia and engagements with other African countries to adapt global best practices to local realities.
Also speaking, AGNES Country Director for Nigeria, Dr. David Awolala, commended the dedication of members of Nigeria’s Technical Working Group, describing them as resilient and committed despite the rigorous nature of climate finance proposal development.
Awolala disclosed that AGNES is working with the African Development Bank and other funding windows to position Nigeria to access grants that will support climate-smart livestock interventions.
He stressed that the objective goes beyond proposal writing to securing tangible resources for the implementation of climate-smart livestock programmes.
As part of the programme, participants undertook a field visit to Manchong Integrated Farm in Nasarawa State, where they observed climate-smart livestock production systems designed to improve productivity, reduce environmental impacts and strengthen resilience to climate change.
