Poultry industry fastest pathway to food security, job creation – PAN president

The National Vice President, Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN), South-East Region, Mr Izuolisa Onu, says the poultry industry remains one of the fastest pathways to food security, job creation and wealth generation.

Onu said this, on Wednesday, during the opening ceremony of a two-day Eastern International Poultry Summit (EIPS), 2026, ongoing in Enugu.

He said that the summit, with the theme, “From the Farm to Market: Scaling Nigeria’s Poultry Trade and Investment, ” was the biggest poultry show in the South-East of Nigeria.

“Farm to market is a call to action; it is about closing the loop.

“This is a value chain that employs hundreds of thousands of Nigerians and ensure food security, growing our Agro-GDP astronomically,” Onu said.

He, however, expressed concern over numerous challenges facing the industry, including high cost of feeds and day-old chicks, weak-cold chain logistics and limited access to finance.

Onu, who also doubles as the Chairman of the Local Organising Committee, said the summit would bring together poultry farmers, experts and exhibitors from across the South-East region and beyond.

Speaking, Dr Benjamin Kuja, Zonal Coordinator, Federal Ministry of Livestock Development, Enugu, described the summit as timely and important.

Kuja said the creation of a fully-fledged Ministry for Livestock Development showed President Bola Tinubu’s administration’s commitment to harness the potential of the livestock sector.

According to him, the livestock sector is another oil for Nigeria and will unfold in the fullness of time.

Also speaking, Dr Jonathan Ossai, who represented the Enugu State Commissioner for Agriculture and Agro Industrialisation, Mr Patrick Ubru, said that the state accorded priority to livestock development.

He said that Gov. Peter Mbah was committed to partnering with the association to ensure the growth and development of poultry and other livestock businesses in the state.

Dr Cliff Ogbede, the Executive Director, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Rural Development, South-East Development Commission, said part of the mandate of the commission is agro industrialisation of the region.

Ogbede said the commission would partner with PAN to create jobs and expand the poultry sector in parts of the region.

Highlights of the opening ceremony included exhibition by different poultry companies that participated in the summit.