Livestock stakeholders under the Fulbe APC Forum and Tinubu Yeso-Yeso Political Forum (TYPF) have pledged support for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027.

The duo cited the establishment of the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development as a major step towards transforming the sector.

The stakeholders made the pledge at a gathering organised by TYPF in collaboration with the Coalition of Pastoralists and Traders Associations and the Amalgamated Union of Livestock Dealers, Butchers and other actors in the sector in Kaduna on Saturday.

The newsmen report that the event, with the theme: “United for Inclusion, Representation and Prosperity,” brought together pastoralists, livestock farmers, traders, butchers, processors and other stakeholders to discuss opportunities for improving livelihoods and strengthening the livestock industry.

Speaking at the event, the Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar-Maiha, said the creation of the ministry in July 2024 had given the sector long-awaited institutional recognition and placed it firmly on Nigeria’s economic transformation agenda.

Muktar–Maiha said the livestock industry, in spite of its enormous economic potential, had operated below capacity for decades due to inadequate infrastructure, limited access to veterinary services, poor animal health management and insufficient investment.

He said the Federal Government was implementing policies and programmes to address the challenges and reposition the sector as a major contributor to national economic growth.

According to him, Nigeria’s livestock resources include about 58 million cattle, 124 million goats, 70 million sheep, 9.3 million pigs, 3.2 million donkeys, 700,000 camels and 300 million birds.

He said the figures underscored the need for coordinated investment in animal production, disease control, feed development, processing and marketing.

The minister said the government had established a stronger policy framework to guide investment in livestock breeding, animal health, feed and fodder production, market infrastructure and access to finance.

He disclosed that seven veterinary hospitals had been completed and equipped under a World Bank-supported programme, while work was ongoing on additional facilities.

Muktar–Maiha said the ministry planned to establish veterinary hospitals across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, alongside primary veterinary facilities in the 774 local government areas.

He added that the government was strengthening vaccine production and storage capacity to improve disease prevention and control.

The minister said the National Veterinary Research Institute and other relevant institutions would play important roles in research, innovation and the development of commercially viable livestock enterprises.

He urged pastoralists, livestock traders, processors and their associations to take ownership of the ministry’s programmes by identifying their challenges and proposing practical solutions.

Muktar–Maiha called on livestock associations to work with the ministry and state governments within three months to identify members’ needs, major production constraints, market challenges, and develop proposals for investment and improved services.

He also called for peaceful coexistence among pastoralists, farmers and host communities, stressing that dialogue, responsible resource management and peaceful dispute resolution were essential to sustainable livestock development.

“The future of the Nigerian livestock sector is bright, but it will require our collective commitment,” he said.

The minister said the government wanted young Nigerians to regard livestock production not merely as a traditional occupation but as a profitable, technology-driven business capable of creating jobs and generating wealth.

He identified opportunities in commercial cattle production, dairy farming, feed milling, meat processing, animal pharmaceuticals, vaccine production, cold-chain logistics and livestock insurance.

In his remarks, Gov. Uba Sani of Kaduna State, represented by the Commissioner for Agriculture, Murtala Dabo, said the state government was implementing reforms to improve livestock production and the welfare of pastoralist communities.

Dabo said the state’s budgetary allocation to livestock development had increased from N1.48 billion in 2023 to more than N100 billion in 2026.

He said the government had provided solar-powered water facilities in pastoralist communities to improve access to water for livestock and domestic use.

According to him, the state has also expanded livestock vaccination programmes, introduced artificial insemination services and supported the cultivation of improved pasture to increase milk production.

Dabo said some local cattle that previously produced about 1.5 litres of milk were now yielding between three and four litres following improvements in feeding and breeding practices.

He added that the government was upgrading slaughter facilities and strengthening infrastructure across the livestock value chain.

The commissioner described the federal government’s establishment of the Ministry of Livestock Development as an opportunity for states to deepen reforms and improve the economic prospects of pastoralist communities.

Also speaking, the National President of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Baba Othman-Ngelzarma, commended Tinubu for establishing the ministry.

Othman-Ngelzarma said livestock stakeholders had advocated a dedicated ministry for decades, adding that the decision had raised hopes of addressing longstanding challenges confronting pastoralists and other operators in the sector.

He said the association was encouraged by reports that several states had begun establishing similar ministries or institutions to coordinate livestock development.

Othman-Ngelzarma said the gathering was organised to appreciate the President for the initiative and demonstrate the association’s support for his administration.

He pledged that livestock stakeholders would continue to support government’s efforts to develop the sector, while urging sustained commitment to policies that would improve their livelihoods.

The stakeholders said effective implementation of livestock reforms would help reduce production costs, improve food security, create employment and strengthen Nigeria’s capacity to participate in regional and international livestock trade.

They also stressed the need for greater inclusion of women and young people in livestock-related businesses, particularly processing, marketing, animal production and enterprise development.

The event was attended by pastoralist leaders, livestock traders, farmers, political stakeholders and representatives of relevant associations from different parts of the country.