The Federal Government of Nigeria has announced a major regulatory shift to strengthen oversight of poultry import allocations and enforce strict performance measures across the livestock industry. This decisive move aims to eliminate severe supply bottlenecks, improve access to day-old chicks, and lower production costs for thousands of poultry farmers nationwide.
The intervention comes in response to growing concerns over the underutilisation of approved import quotas by operators. This inefficiency has triggered a persistent shortage of day-old chicks, driving up market prices and limiting growth opportunities within the agricultural sector.
Speaking during a high-level meeting in Abuja, the Honourable Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, emphasized that public policy must yield tangible results for everyday citizens.
“We want a very firm commitment from industry operators. This is about national security, job creation, and livelihoods. Government support must translate into increased production, improved availability, and better access for farmers across the country,” Minister Maiha stated.
Performance-Linked Allocations to Stop Scarcity
Industry assessments reveal that a significant portion of approved poultry allocations have left supply gaps unfilled, directly contributing to the recurring price hikes of day-old chicks. To counter this, the Ministry is transitioning to a strict, performance-based monitoring system.
Minister Maiha made it clear that the government will no longer tolerate idle import quotas. The clear objective is to ensure that public support translates into greater affordability and sustainable growth across the poultry value chain.
“There is no reason why opportunities created through government support should not translate into increased production,” Mukhtar added. “Once approvals are granted, we expect implementation. Going forward, allocations will be closely monitored and linked to performance.”
A $5.6 Million Boost for Local Genetics
To drastically reduce Nigeria’s dependence on foreign imports, domestic producer Valentine Chickens has presented a $5.6 million investment proposal to build local grandparent stock production infrastructure. Partnering with Aviagen, a global leader in poultry genetics, the project will establish specialized breeding facilities and advanced biosecurity systems in Nigeria.
The Managing Director of Valentine Chickens, Leon Gunter, explained that the initiative is designed to import the foundational biological capacity required to transform the local market, rather than relying on short-term fixes.
“This is not simply the importation of day-old chicks; it is the importation of genetic capacity that can multiply into millions of locally produced birds and strengthen the country’s poultry industry for the long term,” Gunter explained.
At full operational capacity, the annual import of 116,800 grandparent breeding chicks will yield 2 million parent stock females. This genetic multiplication is projected to translate into 273 million commercial broiler chickens, generating 378,000 tons of chicken meat per annum.
Launching a National Tracking Database
To ensure complete transparency, the Ministry of Livestock Development is establishing a centralised, national database to track every imported grandparent stock (GPS) and parent stock (PS) egg and chick.
This regulatory overhaul is intentionally structured to break down entry barriers for smallholder farmers. By stabilizing the supply chain and driving down production costs, the government aims to boost Nigeria’s historically low poultry per capita consumption and ensure that local food supply directly meets the needs of ordinary citizens.
Share this
