The Federal Ministry of Livestock Development has announced a strategic shift toward deepening partnerships with private sector operators and stakeholder groups. The move is designed to modernize animal health services, skyrocket national productivity, and unlock untapped opportunities within the country’s livestock value chains.
This commitment was the centerpiece of a series of high-level meetings held in Abuja, where the Ministry hosted delegations from Ambuvet Konsult Nigeria Limited, Hybrid Feeds Limited, and the Women and Youth in Livestock Development and Food Network Nigeria (WYLAF).
Bridging the Last-Mile Veterinary Gap
Leading the presentations, Dr. Shehu Shamsudeen, Team Lead of Ambuvet Konsult Nigeria Limited, highlighted the critical infrastructure deficit currently stifling the sector. Despite Nigeria boasting one of the largest livestock populations in Africa, Dr. Shamsudeen noted that preventable diseases continue to decimate smallholder incomes due to a lack of rural veterinary coverage.
“In many livestock-producing communities, animals still die from preventable diseases simply because veterinary services are not readily accessible. The major constraint is last-mile delivery of animal health services,” Dr. Shamsudeen stated.
To combat this, Ambuvet showcased a successful model utilizing community-based animal health workers and agro-vets. This initiative has already reached over 100,000 smallholder households, facilitating vaccination campaigns that protected over 60,000 small ruminants and 5,000 local chickens.
Government Calls for Resilient Ecosystem Through Collaboration
In a direct response to the private sector proposals, the Honourable Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, reaffirmed that the government cannot transform the industry in isolation. He signaled an open-door policy for structured Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) to drive the administration’s reform agenda and mentioned some 0f the key areas for immediate collaboration which include disease Surveillance, data Capturing, and vaccination infrastructure.
“The Ministry alone cannot intervene in disease control, vaccination, surveillance, and data capturing. The best way to achieve results is through collaboration. There is enough fertile ground for government and the private sector to work together for the benefit of our livestock farmers,” Minister Maiha declared.
Scaling Human Capacity and Infrastructure
Looking ahead, the Minister emphasized that physical infrastructure must be matched by skilled manpower. As the Ministry moves to expand its network of model veterinary hospitals and clinics, there is an urgent push to certify and train a new generation of veterinary paraprofessionals.
By integrating the grassroots reach of organizations like WYLAF and the technical expertise of firms like Hybrid Feeds, the Ministry aims to build a resilient livestock ecosystem that ensures food security and economic growth for Nigeria.
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