The Federal Government has unveiled plans to significantly boost the contribution of Nigeria’s livestock sub-sector to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product, targeting an increase from $32 billion to over $74 billion within the next 10 years.
The Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, disclosed this on Tuesday in Ilorin during a livestock stakeholders’ engagement organised by the Kwara State Government. The event brought together more than 250 stakeholders drawn from different segments of the livestock value chain.
Represented at the engagement by his Special Adviser, Mr Mark Mbaram, the minister said the Federal Government was fully committed to repositioning the livestock sector as a key driver of food security, employment generation, and sustainable economic growth across the country.
According to him, food security remains a vital aspect of national security, which informed the decision of the present administration to give renewed attention to livestock development. He said the government was determined to unlock the vast potential of the sub-sector through deliberate policies and long-term planning.
“The present administration plans to increase the contribution of the livestock sub-sector to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product from $32 billion to over $74 billion within the next 10 years,” the minister stated, adding that the target was achievable with coordinated efforts across federal and state levels.
Maiha explained that the ministry had developed a National Livestock Growth Acceleration Strategy aimed at improving productivity, enhancing value addition, and expanding market opportunities within the sector. He said the strategy had been internalised and approved by the National Economic Council.
He added that a special committee had also been constituted to focus on ranching as a sustainable and modern model for livestock development in Nigeria. According to him, ranching offers better animal control, improved yields, and reduced conflicts.
The minister stressed that open grazing and itinerant herding were no longer sustainable in the face of population growth, environmental pressures, and economic realities. He noted that ranching remained the most viable option for modern livestock production.
“The era of nomadism is gradually fading because it is no longer productive or profitable. Ranching allows for better animal management, higher productivity, and increased returns on investment,” he said.
Maiha listed opportunities within the livestock sector to include beef production, poultry, dairy farming, and micro-ruminant production, noting that the sector could generate millions of jobs if properly harnessed. He said the sub-sector, once seen as a challenge, could now become a major economic asset.
He commended the Kwara State Government for its commitment to livestock development, describing the state as an important partner in implementing the ministry’s vision at the sub-national level.
In her remarks, the Kwara State Commissioner for Livestock Development, Mrs Oloruntoyosi Thomas, said the state government was addressing challenges facing the livestock sub-sector through regular stakeholder engagement and policy-driven interventions.
She said participants at the programme included poultry farmers, pastoralists, crop farmers, ranchers’ associations, feed millers, the Nigerian Animal Science Association, the Veterinary Council of Nigeria, and youth-led farming groups.
Also speaking, the Director of Livestock Services in the ministry, Mohammed Ahmad Umar, said the sector had suffered years of neglect despite its huge economic potential. He noted that proper coordination could significantly boost national revenue.
On his part, the Director of Veterinary Services, Dr Olugbon Abdullateef Salman, stressed the importance of animal health, urging farmers to prioritise vaccination and proper care to improve productivity and prevent disease transmission.
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