Tinubu moves to double livestock sector’s $32bn economic contribution

President Bola Tinubu is spearheading an initiative to significantly boost Nigeria's livestock sector, aiming to double its current annual economic contribution of $32 billion. This ambitious goal is a key component of his administration's broader strategy to enhance food security, generate employment, and diversify the national economy.

Speaking at the 9th All Africa Conference on Animal Agriculture in Abuja, President Tinubu, represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, highlighted the sector's importance. He noted that Nigeria's livestock industry is a major source of food, employment, and economic opportunities. The President reaffirmed Nigeria's commitment to leading Africa's livestock transformation, stating, "Our national strategy aims to double the sector’s economic contributions to position Nigeria as a leading hub for livestock production and processing in Africa."

The nation's livestock population is substantial, including over 58 million cattle, 64 million sheep, 124 million goats, and 660 million poultry. The administration has prioritized agriculture and food security within its "Renewed Hope Agenda." A clear demonstration of this commitment is the establishment of the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development in July 2024, signaling a comprehensive national transformation program. This ministry is tasked with evolving the sector from traditional, subsistence practices into a modern, technology-driven, and globally competitive industry.

Several initiatives are underway to unlock the sector's potential, including the National Livestock Growth Acceleration Strategy. This strategy focuses on enhancing livestock productivity, strengthening value chains, improving animal health services, expanding commercial feed production, advancing livestock genetics, and promoting climate-smart production systems. The administration is also actively working to attract investors to various value chains, such as dairy, meat processing, leather, and feed milling, while promoting ranching and modern production methods to increase output and mitigate conflicts associated with traditional practices.

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Our national strategy aims to double the sector’s economic contributions to position Nigeria as a leading hub for livestock production and processing in Africa.