The Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, has urged all stakeholders in Nigeria’s dairy industry to develop innovative ideas that will end the country’s heavy dependence on dairy importation. He made this call during his keynote address at the National Dairy Policy Implementation Framework Validation Workshop held in Abuja on Tuesday, November 4th, 2025. The event was organised by the Ministry in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Sahel Consulting Agriculture and Nutrition, and other relevant stakeholders.
Maiha encouraged participants to thoroughly examine the draft implementation framework, identify key obstacles, and propose practical solutions that will help Nigeria achieve self-sufficiency in dairy production. According to him, “Let us scrutinise the draft implementation framework, identify bottlenecks, and propose innovative solutions that will accelerate our journey to self-sufficiency. Let us leave this workshop with a clear, actionable roadmap that will ensure that within the shortest possible time, the milk consumed in every Nigerian home is proudly our own and sustainably sourced from our farms.”
The Minister further explained that the 1.5 billion US dollars Nigeria currently spends annually on dairy imports should be viewed as an opportunity for investment in the nation’s economic future. He stated that overcoming this challenge would unlock new economic growth, improve livelihoods, and build national resilience. “It is a challenge that, when overcome, will unlock unprecedented economic growth, improve the livelihoods of millions of Nigerians, and strengthen our national resilience,” he added.
In his goodwill message, the Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, Senator John Owan Enoh, highlighted the importance of collaboration between government agencies, private sector players, farmers, academia, and development partners. He emphasized that such cooperation can unlock huge opportunities within the dairy value chain, create jobs, empower rural communities, and reduce import dependency.
Delivering her welcome address, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development, Dr. Chinyere Ijeoma Akujobi, pointed out that the Nigerian dairy sector has faced long-standing issues such as low milk yield, poor breed quality, weak market linkages, and limited access to finance and modern technologies for smallholder farmers. Represented by the Director, Ruminants and Monogastric Division, Mr. Victor Egbon, she said Nigeria has the livestock population, human capacity, and determination to turn these challenges into opportunities. “What we have often lacked is a unified and results-driven approach to bring all stakeholders under one coordinated direction,” she stated.
Stakeholders at the event included representatives from Sahel Consulting Agriculture and Nutrition, CODARAN, GIZ, and other development partners.
