President Bola Tinubu on Thursday said that relying solely on dairy imports while neglecting livestock farming was a mistake his administration is committed to fixing.
He expressed concern that the sector’s neglect had cost Nigeria a staggering $1.5bn and pledged to restore confidence in the industry.
At the two-day Consultative Workshop on Livestock Reforms held at the State House Conference Centre in Abuja, the president stressed the importance of the livestock sector, saying, “We will give it all it needs to bring value to our country.”
“It is about time that we do it right. A country of over 200 million people and cannot serve our children one pint of milk in a classroom per day? That is not right.
“We didn’t see the investment opportunities. We didn’t see the economy of livestock in the past. Now that we have seen it, we must work together to restart the sector.
“Stakeholders, I assure you that you will not regret the collaboration and investment in this sector,” a statement by his spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, read.
The president further explained that the Livestock Reform Implementation Committee will transform the livestock sector from its current subsistence model into a thriving, commercialized industry that will contribute significantly to Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and provide decent jobs for sustainable livelihoods.
He highlighted the sector’s potential, citing “563 million chickens, 58 million cattle, 124 million goats, 60 million sheep, and 16 million pigs.” Despite this vast resource, he acknowledged the sector’s challenges.
“Our annual production of animal-source foods, like milk at 0.7 billion liters, meat at 1.48 million tonnes, and eggs at 0.69 million metric tonnes, falls far short of our needs. Our per capita consumption levels—8.7 liters of milk, 9 kg of meat, 3.5 kg or 45 eggs per year—are troublingly low compared to global averages.
“What is more worrisome to me is the average milk yield by cow breeds managed by our pastoralists: it is a mere 0.5 to 1.5 liters per day, compared to a global average of 6.6 liters per day. We can do much better.
“The long-term neglect of the livestock sector has weighed heavily on the country’s import bills, with milk and dairy products accounting for $1.2-1.5 billion.
“Yes, we can do it. We can bring prosperity to our people. We can feed our children. From grass, we can achieve grace. We can contribute so much to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and provide decent jobs.”
President Tinubu also expressed gratitude to key stakeholders, including the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF), chaired by Kwara State Governor Abdurrahman Abdulrazaq, and others for supporting the livestock reform efforts.
Abdulrazaq assured the president of complete subnational support for the reform, noting its importance for both food security and national security.
“If we do not resolve the herdsmen issue through this reform, we will continue to have conflicts. Each state will be urged to create areas for meat and dairy production,” Abdulrazaq said.
Co-chairman of the Livestock Reforms Committee, Prof. Attahiru Jega, stated that the workshop aimed to gather additional input from critical stakeholders in the livestock value chain and ecosystem.
“We hope that engagement with critical stakeholders would be a continuous process, as all hands need to be on deck to ensure a well-considered reform process and its seamless and successful implementation,” Jega said.