Tinubu pledges livestock farming revamp amid $1.5bn dairy imports

President Bola Tinubu on Thursday reassured Nigerians that his administration will not repeat the past mistakes of former governments, which neglected livestock farming.

He also said his government will avoid dependence on dairy imports.

Tinubu made the commitment when he declared open a two-day consultative workshop on livestock reforms at the State House Conference Centre, Abuja.

The Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga, revealed this in a statement he signed on Thursday, titled, “Neglecting livestock farming in the past was a mistake that should not be repeated, says President Tinubu.”

He pledged a robust framework to stimulate prosperity in the sector, saying his government would revamp and reposition the sector to create employment and attract Foreign Direct Investment.

“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.

“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,” he said.

The President commended the Presidential Livestock Reform Implementation Committee, led by the Co-Chairman, Prof Attahiru Jega, and the Secretary, Prof Muhammed Yahaya Kuta, for their commitment to repositioning the sector.

He said Nigeria’s shared mission was to transform the livestock sector from its current subsistence model into a thriving, commercialised industry.

The industry, he added, must significantly contribute to Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product and provide decent jobs and sustainable livelihoods for the growing population.

Tinubu argued in favour of Nigeria’s immense potential.

He said with 563 million chickens, 58 million cattle, 124 million goats, 60 million sheep, and 16 million pigs, Nigeria is the leading livestock producer in West Africa.

“Yet, despite this vast resource, we face stark realities,” he lamented.

“Our annual production of animal-source foods, like milk at 0.7 billion litres, 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 litres of milk, 9kg of meat, 3.5kg or 45 eggs per year — are troublingly low compared to global averages. These are 44 litres of milk, 19kg of meat and between 160 and 180 eggs per year.

“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 litres per day, compared to a global average of 6.6 litres per day. We can do much better,” Tinubu lamented further.

He said the long-term neglect of the livestock sector had weighed heavily on the country’s import bills, with milk and other dairy products accounting for $1.2 to $1.5bn.

“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 and provide decent jobs,” the President noted.

He also thanked the Nigerian Governors’ Forum chaired by Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, for supporting the reform of animal farming in the country.

“Your Excellency, chairman of the NGF, AbdulRazaq, thank you for assuring C-of-Os and other instruments from other areas. I also know that the Etsu Nupe, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar, with the vast land in his domain in Niger State, will accommodate many investors.

“We didn’t see the cold room investment. We didn’t see that opportunity before now. But it is coming. We are going to give it all it takes.

“The opportunity is there; when I inaugurated the Presidential Livestock Reform Committee, I didn’t see the path clearly until they started working. Thank you, Prof Attahiru Jega,” the President stated.

Tinubu also acknowledged the Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Abdullahi Ganduje, for nurturing the idea of reforming the livestock stock, the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, for their commitment to realising the dream.

“We can create a vivid picture of the future we want to see; it’s the future of our country. The economic opportunities for our children, and with that effort, we can say God bless Nigeria,” he stated.

Speaking, AbdulRazak assured the President of the “100 per cent buy-in of the subnational to make the reform a success, because it is not just food security, but national security.”

The Kwara State governor thanked the President for leading the initiative by chairing the implementation committee, regretting that past efforts in the same direction were reduced to files in the ministries of agriculture in states and local councils due to lack of political will.

He said each state should create a segment for livestock farming and extend the value chain to meat and dairy production.

The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari, thanked the President for his “bold action, exemplary leadership and unparalleled commitment to livestock reform.”

Kyari assured the President of working with the Ministry of Livestock Development to realise his vision to diversify the economy and empower more Nigerians.