The Federal Ministry of Livestock Development has called for closer collaboration between development partners and government institutions to ensure research initiatives in Nigeria’s livestock sector align with national priorities and deliver lasting impact.
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr Chinyere Ijeoma Akujobi, made the call while receiving a delegation from the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) on Thursday, July 23, 2026.
Describing the visit as timely, Akujobi stressed that engagement with the Ministry is essential for effective coordination, stakeholder mapping and alignment with existing government policies and programmes.
She noted that while the Ministry does not intend to micromanage projects, it has the responsibility to coordinate interventions, prevent duplication of efforts and guide partners towards areas where their support would have the greatest impact.
According to her, several of the institutions identified by the ACIAR delegation are already under the Ministry’s supervisory mandate, while other relevant stakeholders could be incorporated into the ongoing scoping exercise to strengthen the quality of the study.
Akujobi emphasised that the Ministry’s focus extends beyond research to ensuring that findings are translated into practical solutions that improve livestock production and benefit farmers.
She also requested that ACIAR provide its concept note, implementation timeline, key performance indicators and expected outcomes to enable the Ministry align the proposed programme with the National Livestock Growth Acceleration Strategy (NL-GAS) and other relevant policy frameworks.
The Permanent Secretary further directed relevant departments within the Ministry to establish a technical interface with the ACIAR team to support the scoping exercise and sustain collaboration throughout the project’s development.
During the meeting, directors of the Ministry urged the delegation to expand stakeholder consultations, utilise existing policy documents such as the National Livestock Master Plan and NL-GAS and ensure the proposed research reflects Nigeria’s livestock investment priorities.
They also called for stronger collaboration in animal genetics, disease surveillance, feed and fodder systems, livestock data management, capacity building and postgraduate training opportunities for Ministry personnel.
Speaking on behalf of the delegation, ACIAR Senior Initiative Manager, Mr Wekem Raymond Avatim, said the visit forms part of a regional scoping study designed to identify priority investment areas for livestock development in Nigeria and other West African countries.
He explained that the initiative aims to generate evidence to guide future research-for-development programmes, strengthen institutional capacity, promote knowledge exchange and support implementation through multi-stakeholder collaboration.
The delegation identified feed and fodder shortages, climate change, youth participation, gender inclusion, animal health, vaccine availability and institutional coordination as some of the key challenges facing Nigeria’s livestock sector.
The team also disclosed that the Australian Government is considering an investment of more than AU$70 million across selected West African countries, with Nigeria identified as one of the priority countries.
ACIAR pledged to deepen its engagement with the Ministry, broaden consultations with stakeholders where necessary and subject the final scoping report to stakeholder validation before implementation.
