Nigeria’s Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, has announced plans to accelerate implementation of the National Ranching Policy as part of efforts to boost livestock productivity, reduce insecurity and expand the sector’s economic contribution.
Speaking at a high-level stakeholders’ engagement and Poultry Summit organised by the Poultry Association of Nigeria in Ilorin, Kwara State, the minister disclosed that Kwara would serve as a pilot location for the policy rollout. He noted that despite Nigeria’s vast livestock potential, the country has historically failed to fully harness the sector due to weak coordination, a gap the Federal Government sought to address with the creation of a dedicated Ministry of Livestock Development in 2024.
Maiha explained that current reforms aim to increase livestock’s contribution to national GDP to $74 billion from an estimated $32 billion through structured interventions, including the establishment of National Livestock Centres designed to optimise value chains, strengthen food security and reduce farmer–herder conflicts.
Kwara State Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, represented by the Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, reaffirmed the state’s support, describing poultry and livestock production as strategic pillars for food security, youth employment and economic growth. He pledged continued investment in farmer training, improved inputs, veterinary services and biosecurity systems.
Stakeholders at the summit emphasised the need for practical support to poultry farmers, particularly subsidised feed and access to modern production technologies. Industry representatives noted that rising feed costs remain a major constraint to sustainable poultry production.
Officials also framed livestock reform as a pathway for youth engagement and rural transformation, positioning the initiative as a shift from conflict-driven pastoral systems toward structured, productivity-focused agribusiness models. Source : BusniessDay NG
EXPERT REVIEW FOR AGRI-FOOD STAKEHOLDERS
Nigeria’s renewed focus on ranching signals a policy attempt to transition livestock production from mobility-driven systems to settled, value-chain-based models. If implemented effectively, it could reshape productivity, security and protein supply dynamics across the country.
Ranching enables productivity gains that pastoralism limits
Settled production systems allow for controlled breeding, feed management and animal health monitoring, all of which significantly increase output per animal.
Structured livestock centres can stabilise value chains
National Livestock Centres may improve aggregation, processing and market access, reducing fragmentation that has historically constrained the sector.
Conflict reduction is tied to production system reform
Shifting from open grazing to managed ranching addresses land-use tensions that disrupt farming and rural economies.
Poultry remains a fast-impact protein solution
Supporting poultry through feed affordability, veterinary care and technology adoption can quickly expand domestic protein supply and job creation.
Youth employment opportunities lie across the livestock ecosystem
Modern livestock systems generate roles in feed production, veterinary services, cold chains, logistics and processing, extending far beyond animal rearing itself.
Conclusion
Accelerating the National Ranching Policy reflects an acknowledgement that Nigeria’s livestock sector must evolve toward coordinated, market-oriented systems to deliver economic and food security benefits. The success of the initiative will depend less on policy announcements and more on infrastructure, financing and sustained stakeholder alignment capable of turning pilot programmes into scalable national models.
