Ogun animal health technologists move to address avian influenza
As part of efforts to improve Nigeria’s animal health system, the Nigerian Association of Animal Health and Husbandry Technologists (NAAHHT), Ogun State Chapter, convened its 2025 annual retreat to address the endemic threat of avian influenza, a disease that has continually affected the nation’s poultry sector.
The retreat, themed “Navigating the Endemic Nature of Avian Influenza in Nigeria: Strengthening Biosecurity,” was held at the Ogun State Veterinary Hospital Complex, Ita Eko, Abeokuta, and drew participation from critical stakeholders across the animal health and agriculture sectors.
In his welcome remarks, Prince Oyetunde Oyewumi, Chairman of the NAAHHT Ogun Chapter, underscored the importance of knowledge sharing, experience exchange, and collaboration in developing practical strategies to combat the persistent bird flu threat.
Resource person Mr. Daniel Ogunleke gave an extensive presentation focused on the nature of avian influenza and practical control strategies poultry farmers can implement.
Speaking on behalf of the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Alhaji Fashola Surajudeen advocated for increased media engagement and awareness creation to limit the spread of the disease among farms and rural communities.
Chief Folorunso Ogunnaike, Chairman of the occasion, called for more technical support and knowledge dissemination to poultry farmers to enable them to take preventive measures.
Also present was Alhaji Yinka Lawal, Chairman of the Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN), Ogun State Chapter, who lauded the initiative and emphasized the need for sustained collaboration between PAN and NAAHHT to jointly combat disease outbreaks.
Nigeria’s first major outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) occurred in 2006. Since then, the virus has become endemic, prompting various containment measures, including stamping out and a no-compensation policy by the Federal Government.
Although this policy aimed to encourage reporting of outbreaks and discourage silent spread, many poultry farmers suffered huge losses without compensation, and Nigeria continues to uphold a no-vaccination policy for avian influenza.
Source- Tribune Online
Expert Review for Agri-Food Stakeholders
The Ogun State NAAHHT retreat highlights a crucial aspect of Nigeria’s animal health challenge—the endemic status of avian influenza and the need for biosecurity strengthening.
- Biosecurity is no longer optional: The endemic nature of bird flu in Nigeria demands that both small- and large-scale poultry operations adopt strict biosecurity protocols. Training and extension services must prioritize this knowledge at grassroots level.
- Communication is critical: As emphasized during the retreat, public awareness through media and community sensitization can help reduce disease spread, especially in areas with limited veterinary infrastructure.
- The Federal Government’s no-compensation and no-vaccination stance may need re-evaluation. While the policy discourages disease concealment, it leaves farmers vulnerable and disincentivizes reporting—especially when farmers lose entire flocks with no safety net.
- Collaboration between NAAHHT and PAN is a strategic move. These two bodies, if well-coordinated, can champion disease monitoring, reporting, and training, while also lobbying for policies that better protect poultry value chain actors.
- Technical support is key: The call for more technical information to farmers cannot be overstated. Structured training, real-time disease surveillance, and community vet services will go a long way in transforming Nigeria’s approach to disease control.
In summary, tackling avian influenza in Nigeria will require a multi-stakeholder strategy involving policy reform, active surveillance, farmer education, and public-private partnerships. The Ogun retreat is a commendable step toward addressing a persistent threat to food security and economic stability in Nigeria’s poultry industry.
