The Federal Government and the Kano State Government have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening collaboration to accelerate livestock sector reforms, attract investment and unlock the vast economic potential of the industry.
The commitment was made during the Honourable Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha’s three-day working visit to Kano State, where he was received at the Government House by the Deputy Governor, Murtala Sule Garo, representing Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf.
Speaking during the visit, the Deputy Governor highlighted the state’s achievements since the establishment of the Kano State Ministry of Livestock Development. He said the government had implemented statewide livestock vaccination campaigns, deployed a Livestock Information Management System, expanded disease surveillance, improved veterinary services, developed pasture and modern livestock infrastructure and rolled out empowerment programmes for women and youths.
According to him, the state has strengthened livestock disease control, upgraded veterinary training and research facilities and enhanced evidence-based planning through improved data management.
Garo also disclosed that, in collaboration with the Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support (L-PRES) Project, Kano State is expanding pasture and fodder development to improve sustainable feed production and boost livestock productivity.
He added that more than 5,000 women have been empowered through poultry production programmes, 2,000 youths supported in livestock enterprises, about 10,000 women benefited from small ruminant production initiatives, while over 3,000 youths received assistance under the state’s fish farming programme.
In his remarks, the Honourable Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to partnering with Kano State to unlock the immense economic potential of Nigeria’s livestock industry through value addition, industrialisation and expanded export opportunities.
The Minister commended the Kano State Government for establishing a dedicated Ministry of Livestock Development, describing the initiative as a bold step that reflects visionary leadership and a shared commitment to repositioning the livestock sector as a key driver of economic growth, job creation and national prosperity.
Maiha noted that Kano remains a strategic hub for Nigeria’s leather industry, revealing that the state processes nearly 80 per cent of the country’s hides and skins. He stressed that the sector holds enormous potential for wealth creation, industrial development and increased export earnings if fully harnessed.
He further disclosed that the Federal Ministry is collaborating with states to modernise livestock production through investments in leather processing, commercial pasture development, dairy production, livestock settlements and red meat processing.
Earlier, the Commissioner for Livestock Development, Dr. Aliyu Isa Aliyu, described the Minister’s visit as another milestone in the growing partnership between the Federal Government and Kano State.
Also speaking, the Chairman of the Kano State House of Assembly Committee on Livestock Development, Hon. Nabil Daneji Aliyu, commended the strong collaboration between the executive and legislative arms of government, noting that the synergy has provided the support needed for the state’s Ministry of Livestock Development to effectively deliver on its mandate.
The visit concluded with the exchange of souvenirs between the Honourable Minister and the Deputy Governor, symbolising the shared commitment of both governments to advancing livestock development and transforming the sector into a major contributor to Nigeria’s economy.
