FG Unveils State-Specific Livestock Centres to Drive $74bn Sector Growth

The Federal Government has unveiled plans to establish state-specific Livestock Development Centres as part of efforts to transform Nigeria’s livestock industry and increase its contribution to the economy from $32bn to at least $74bn by 2035.

The Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Maiha, disclosed this on Friday in Abuja during a press briefing, saying the initiative would be implemented through partnerships between the Federal Government, state governments, livestock producers and private investors.

Maiha said the centres would serve as implementation platforms for the National Livestock Growth Acceleration Strategy, a 10-pillar roadmap approved by the National Economic Council to address systemic challenges and attract large-scale private investment into the sector.

Under the proposed model, each state would determine the livestock species or value chain it wants to develop based on its agro-ecology, livestock resources, feed and water availability, market demand, social acceptance and investment potential.

The Federal Government would provide national policies, technical standards, food safety and animal health protocols, traceability requirements, data systems, investor facilitation and regulatory coordination.

States would be responsible for providing suitable land, local infrastructure, community engagement, security coordination, producer mobilisation and extension linkages.

Maiha stressed that the centres would not be government farms or isolated construction projects but commercially oriented platforms combining public infrastructure with private-sector investment.

The centres could support businesses covering feed and fodder production, breeding, veterinary services, cattle finishing, dairy processing, poultry, sheep and goat production, pig farming, abattoirs, meat processing, cold-chain logistics, biogas, organic fertiliser, hides and skins, tanneries and leather manufacturing.

The minister said the state-specific approach was necessary because livestock resources and market opportunities vary across the country.

He noted that while northern states have larger livestock populations, major consumer markets are concentrated in the South, making the movement of live animals over long distances expensive and risky.

The ministry identified poor genetics, water shortages, land administration challenges, expensive feed, inadequate veterinary services, insecurity, limited private investment and weak infrastructure as major obstacles to livestock development.

Maiha said the initiative would also create opportunities for women and young people to participate in enterprise ownership, value addition and service delivery.

He cited planned and ongoing projects in Enugu, Plateau, Benue, Gombe and Borno states as examples of the emerging model.

The minister said states would not be forced to adopt uniform livestock value chains, insisting that development must be based on local comparative advantages and market demand.

He added that disciplined collaboration between federal and state governments and private investors would be critical to achieving the government’s $74bn livestock-sector target by 2035.