FG Targets $74bn From Livestock Sector On Nation’s GDP In 10 Years
The Federal Government has disclosed plans to increase contribution of Nigeria’s livestock sub-sector to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product, GDP, from $32 billion to over $74 billion within the next 10 years.
The Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, made this disclosures on Tuesday in Ilorin during a livestock stakeholders’ engagement, organised by the Kwara State Government, which brought together over 250 players across the livestock sector.
The Minister, represented by his Special Adviser, Mark Mbaram, said the Federal Government was committed to repositioning the livestock sector as a major driver of food security, job creation, and economic growth.
He said: “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.
“Food security remains a critical component of national security, hence, decision of the Federal Government to place livestock development on the front burner,” he said.
The Minister also said the Ministry had developed a National Livestock Growth Acceleration Strategy, aimed at boosting productivity and increasing the sector’s contribution to the economy saying: “The strategy has been internalised and approved by the National Economic Council. A special committee has also been set up to focus on ranching as a sustainable model for livestock development.”
Maiha further stressed that the era of open grazing and itinerant herding was no longer sustainable, noting that ranching remains the most viable option for modern livestock production.
“The era of nomadism is gradually fading because it is no longer productive or pprofitable.As a Fulani man, I consistently eemphasise hat ranching is the way forward. It allows for better animal management, higher productivity, and increased returns on investment,” he stated.
The Minister listed opportunities in the livestock sector to include beef production, poultry, dairy farming, micro-ruminants, and job creation, noting that the sector had previously constituted a challenge to national development but could now become a major economic asset.
He commended the Kwara State Government for its commitment to livestock development, describing the State as a critical partner in the implementation of the Ministry’s vision.
In her remarks, the Kwara State Commissioner for Livestock Development, Mrs Oloruntoyosi Thomas, said the State Government was determined to address challenges confronting the livestock sub-sector through 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 young farmers’ groups.
Also speaking, Director, Livestock Services in the Ministry, Mohammed Ahmad Umar, said the livestock sector had suffered years of neglect when it was under the Ministry of Agriculture, despite its huge economic potential.
“Kwara State is committed to improving the livestock sector through partnerships with the private sector. We are also creating opportunities for financial support, market access, and off-taker arrangements for farmers,” he said.
Also speaking, Director of Veterinary Services, Dr Olugbon Abdullateef Salman, stressed the importance of animal health in livestock productivity, urging farmers to prioritise vaccination and proper animal care.
“Livestock farming is a profitable venture, but only when animals are healthy. Vaccination prevents diseases, reduces losses, and protects humans from zoonotic infections that can be transmitted through consumption of infected animals,” he said.
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