The Federal Government has unveiled a new estate-based ranching programme expected to create about 7,000 direct jobs for Nigerian youths and women as part of wider efforts to transform the country’s livestock sector and strengthen rural economic development.
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The initiative was announced by the Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, during a strategic meeting with the management of Access Bank Plc in Abuja on Thursday, June 4, 2026.
Maiha said the programme is designed to modernise livestock production in Nigeria while creating structured economic opportunities for young people, women and small-scale livestock operators across different parts of the country.
According to him, the estate-based ranching model will support participation in ranch operations, dairy farming, meat processing, feed production and other livestock-related businesses capable of generating employment and improving productivity within the sector.
“The programme is projected to create about 7,000 direct jobs while supporting growth across the dairy, red meat and leather value chains,” the Minister said.
The Federal Government has continued to push for reforms in the livestock industry following concerns over food security, low productivity, outdated production systems and poor infrastructure affecting the sector for years.
Maiha explained that the ranching initiative forms part of a broader strategy by the Ministry of Livestock Development to unlock the economic potential within Nigeria’s livestock industry and position it as a major contributor to national economic growth.
He noted that Nigeria’s dairy sector alone has the capacity to generate billions of dollars if properly developed with the right financing structures, infrastructure and private sector investment.
According to the Minister, one of the major challenges affecting livestock businesses, especially dairy production, is the long production cycle before investors begin to see returns.
He said this makes it necessary for financial institutions and government agencies to introduce financing models specifically tailored to the realities of livestock production in Nigeria.
Maiha also disclosed that the Ministry is pursuing the establishment of modern abattoirs in selected states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) as part of efforts to strengthen the livestock value chain and improve meat processing standards nationwide.
He said each of the proposed facilities will have the capacity to process at least 1,000 cattle daily.
The planned abattoirs are expected to improve meat quality and safety standards, reduce waste and support more organised livestock processing operations across the country.
The Minister further highlighted the importance of feed and fodder development, describing animal nutrition as one of the biggest factors affecting livestock productivity and profitability.
To address the challenge, the Federal Government is working on expanding pasture cultivation and moving feed resources closer to livestock production centres to reduce transportation costs for operators.
Speaking during the engagement, Access Bank’s Public Relations Manager, Jonathan Oloniyo, expressed the bank’s readiness to collaborate with the Ministry in supporting initiatives capable of unlocking the economic potential of Nigeria’s livestock sector.
The latest ranching programme comes as the Federal Government continues to seek new ways to create jobs, strengthen food production and attract investment into non-oil sectors of the economy.
