The Federal Government has officially declared the inability to feed Nigeria's massive cattle population of over 50 million a national emergency requiring immediate intervention.
Minister Sounds Alarm on Livestock Crisis
During a crucial policy dialogue workshop organized by ECOWAS's Regional Agency for Agriculture and Food (ARAA) on Friday, November 15, 2025, the Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, delivered a stark warning about the severity of the situation.
Represented by Dr. Peter Alike, the Director of the Technical Office of the Permanent Secretary, the minister emphasized that feeding the country's vast cattle population is not just important but an urgent matter of national survival that cannot be postponed.
"In Nigeria, we have over 50 million cattle in the hands of rural dwellers, and these are animals that must be fed," the minister stated. "So for us, feeding and indeed, food is a national imperative that we cannot even leave for tomorrow."
Economic Potential and Current Contributions
Despite the current challenges, the minister highlighted the enormous economic potential of the livestock sector. He revealed that with proper development, the sector could contribute over $94 billion to the economy within ten years.
Even amid the feeding crises and other sectoral challenges, the livestock industry currently contributes over $32 billion to Nigeria's Gross Domestic Product, demonstrating its significant economic importance.
The creation of the Ministry of Livestock Development represents a deliberate government strategy to strengthen this vital sub-sector and drive national development forward.
Regional Cooperation and Nigeria's Strategic Importance
The minister stressed the critical importance of collaboration between Nigeria, ECOWAS, and other stakeholders across West Africa and the Sahel region in achieving food security objectives.
He expressed concern about Nigeria's potential exclusion from regional projects like the PRISMA initiative, noting that Nigeria is the only country in West Africa and the Sahel with a dedicated Ministry of Livestock Development.
"If you have a project of this magnitude and you exclude Nigeria, then you are not likely to succeed," the minister warned, emphasizing Nigeria's crucial role in regional agricultural development.
ECOWAS Commitment and PRISMA Project Focus
Mr. Konlani Kanfitin, the Acting Executive Director of ARAA, reiterated ECOWAS's commitment to advancing livestock development and research collaborations throughout the region.
The PRISMA project, co-financed by the European Union and the Spanish Cooperation Agency (AECID), aligns with ECOWAS's regional agricultural policy (ECOWAP), which aims to transform agricultural and food systems across West Africa.
Dr. Fernando Escribano, an Agricultural Engineer and PRISMA Researcher, explained that the project specifically focuses on tackling aflatoxins in livestock feed. These toxic substances, which are metabolic byproducts of fungi and bacteria, can develop in fields and during storage under conditions of high moisture and temperature.
"We need to harmonize and define what equality is," Dr. Escribano stated. "We need to avoid the presence of aflatoxins in our feeds and establish standard methods for detection and measurement that all stakeholders can agree upon."
The minister concluded with a sobering assessment: "It is an emergency because the tangential effect of not being able to provide the necessary feed for our animals has a direct effect on our very existence, rural livelihood and human peace. So for us, it is a matter of survival."
