President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to transforming Nigeria’s livestock sector into a modern, technology-driven and commercially competitive industry capable of creating jobs, strengthening food security and driving economic growth.
Tinubu made this known while declaring open the 9th All Africa Conference on Animal Agriculture (AACAA) in Abuja.
The President highlighted ongoing reforms and investment initiatives aimed at unlocking the economic potential of Nigeria’s livestock industry, noting that the establishment of the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development in July 2024 marked a major step towards repositioning the sector from predominantly subsistence production to a modern and globally integrated industry.
He said the reform was being supported by institutional changes, including the implementation of recommendations from the Presidential Committee on Livestock Reforms, to improve productivity, strengthen governance, promote peaceful livestock production systems and create an enabling environment for private investment.
According to Tinubu, Nigeria has one of Africa’s largest livestock populations, comprising more than 58 million cattle, 64 million sheep, 124 million goats and 660 million poultry, with the sector contributing more than $32 billion annually to the national economy.
He said the administration had introduced the National Livestock Growth Acceleration Strategy (NL-GAS) to unlock opportunities across the livestock value chain, with emphasis on productivity, animal health, genetics, feed production, climate-smart production, value addition and investment.
The strategy, he added, would also support ranching and modern livestock production systems while strengthening veterinary services, disease surveillance, breeding and livestock infrastructure.
Tinubu noted that the Federal Government was pursuing partnerships with international organisations, development partners and private investors to expand livestock value chains and increase the participation of women and young people in livestock enterprises.
He described livestock as a major source of employment across various segments, including animal production, feed manufacturing, veterinary services, transportation, processing, marketing, leather production, dairy enterprises and exports.
The President further disclosed that the government was targeting more than a doubling of the livestock sector’s contribution to the Nigerian economy, as part of efforts to position the country as a leading livestock production and processing hub in Africa.
He also highlighted the Federal Government’s dairy transformation programme, aimed at reducing dependence on imported dairy products by increasing domestic milk production through improved animal genetics, nutrition, modern breeding systems, pasture development, commercial feed production, milk collection infrastructure and investment in modern processing facilities.
Tinubu added that access to finance, digital technologies, innovation and private-sector partnerships would be strengthened to make livestock production more attractive to young people and women.
The President also called for stronger regional cooperation to address challenges including animal diseases, climate change, food insecurity and transboundary livestock movements.
He urged African countries to deepen collaboration in animal health and disease control, climate-smart livestock production, livestock genetics and breed improvement, regional trade and market integration, youth and women empowerment, research and innovation, and value-chain development.
Tinubu stressed the importance of stronger regional standards, disease surveillance, research collaboration and value-chain integration under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to expand intra-African trade in livestock and livestock products.
He called on delegates at the conference to develop practical recommendations that would advance Africa’s livestock agenda and contribute to the objectives of African Union Agenda 2063.
The President reaffirmed Nigeria’s readiness to collaborate with African countries, development partners, research institutions and the private sector to build a productive, sustainable and globally competitive livestock industry.
He formally declared the 9th All Africa Conference on Animal Agriculture open, urging participants to use the platform to chart a resilient and sustainable path for livestock development across Africa.
