The Federal Government has inaugurated the National Economic Council (NEC) Technical Sub-Committee on Livestock Development, reaffirming its commitment to repositioning the livestock sector as a driver of economic growth and food security.
The Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Abubakar Bagudu, inaugurated the committee in Abuja on Monday. He explained that the sub-committee was created to harmonise existing policy frameworks and speed up the development of an actionable roadmap for adoption by the National Economic Council.
Bagudu recalled that NEC had earlier set up a high-level committee on livestock development chaired by the Governor of Kebbi State, Dr Nasir Idris. He said the committee included governors from the six geopolitical zones, relevant ministers, and the co-chair of the Presidential Committee on Livestock Development.
According to the minister, the urgency of the assignment and the tight schedules of state governors made it necessary for NEC to approve the formation of a technical sub-committee under his chairmanship to manage the process. “Our task is not to reinvent the wheel. A substantial body of work already exists. What is required now is to distil these reports into a clear, practical implementation roadmap that the National Economic Council can adopt without delay,” he said.
Bagudu highlighted President Bola Tinubu’s personal commitment to livestock development, describing it as a strategic shift in Nigeria’s economic and agricultural policy. He said the President had consistently stressed the importance of the sector to development.
“Mr President has consistently emphasised that livestock is not a marginal activity but a central economic driver for food security, agricultural productivity, and inclusive growth. His decision to personally chair the Presidential Committee on Livestock Development reflects this clarity of purpose,” he stated.
The minister added that the establishment of a stand-alone Ministry of Livestock Development further showed the administration’s intention to treat livestock as a strategic economic sector rather than a subsidiary activity.
He explained that the President’s engagement with the National Economic Council aligns with Nigeria’s federal constitutional structure, which assigns responsibility for agriculture and food security, including livestock development, to the federal, state, and local governments.
“Livestock development requires collaboration across all tiers of government. As the institution mandated to coordinate national development planning, this ministry acts as the secretariat of our federal system, ensuring that national plans and programmes are aligned and implemented collaboratively,” he said.
On funding support, Bagudu pointed to initiatives available to back implementation, including the World Bank supported Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support (L-PRES) Project, NG-CARES, the Nigeria for Women Programme, and the Renewed Hope Ward-Based Development Plan covering Nigeria’s wards.
