President Bola Tinubu has underscored the importance of revitalizing Nigeria’s livestock sector, acknowledging past mistakes in neglecting it and over-relying on dairy imports.
Tinubu spoke at the opening of a two-day Consultative Workshop on Livestock Reforms held at the State House Conference Centre, aimed to lay the groundwork for a comprehensive strategy to enhance productivity and economic contribution from the sector.
President Tinubu expressed his commitment to ensuring that such oversights are not repeated, stating, “A country of over 200 million people cannot serve our children one pint of milk in a classroom per day. That is not right.”
He emphasised the need for a robust framework that stimulates prosperity in livestock farming, noting that the government will actively support initiatives to revamp the sector.
“The livestock sector is critical, and we will give all it needs to bring value to our country. Stakeholders, I assure you that you will not regret the collaboration and investment in this sector,” he said.
The President praised the efforts of the Presidential Livestock Reform Implementation Committee, led by Co-Chairman Prof. Attahiru Jega, for their dedication to transforming livestock farming in Nigeria.
He articulated a vision to shift the sector from a subsistence model to a commercialized industry, which would significantly bolster Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and create job opportunities.
Highlighting the current challenges, President Tinubu pointed out Nigeria’s potential as the leading livestock producer in West Africa, with substantial resources, including 563 million chickens, 58 million cattle, and 124 million goats.
However, he lamented the country’s low production of animal-source foods, stating that Nigeria’s annual output of milk, meat, and eggs falls drastically short of its needs.
The President noted, “Our average milk yield by cow breeds managed by our pastoralists is a mere 0.5 to 1.5 litres per day, compared to a global average of 6.6 litres. We can do much better!”
He also mentioned the financial burden of past neglect, with milk and dairy products costing the country $1.2 to $1.5 billion in imports annually.
Tinubu called for collective action, saying, “Yes, we can do it. We can bring prosperity to our people. We can feed our children. From grass, we can achieve grace.”
He acknowledged the support of the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF) in driving the reform, thanking the forum’s chairman, Abdurrahman Abdulrazaq, for his commitment to the initiative.
Abdulrazaq assured the President of the subnational governments’ full support for the reforms, emphasizing their critical role in ensuring national food security.
He expressed regret over past failures to implement similar initiatives, attributing them to a lack of political will.
The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari, commended the President for his decisive leadership and commitment to livestock reform, pledging cooperation with the Ministry of Livestock Development to realize the President’s vision for economic diversification.
