The Federal Government has announced an ambitious strategy to dramatically expand Nigeria's livestock industry, projecting growth from its current $32 billion valuation to $74 billion by 2035.
Major Economic Transformation Plan
Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Maiha, revealed the National Livestock Growth Acceleration Strategy during the 2025 Agriculture Summit Africa in Abuja. The summit, hosted by Sterling Bank under the theme "Survival of the Greenest: Reclaiming Africa's Food Destiny," served as the platform for this significant announcement.
Maiha emphasized that achieving this target would substantially reduce Nigeria's dependence on imported animal products while creating millions of rural employment opportunities. The initiative is designed to position Nigeria as a dominant force in Africa's livestock market while strengthening national food security and diversifying the economy.
Call for Financial Sector Support
The minister made a direct appeal to financial institutions, urging them to establish dedicated livestock desks to facilitate increased funding for pastoralists and processors. This move, he explained, is crucial for unlocking the sector's full potential and ensuring the strategy's success.
Maiha commended Sterling Bank for its leadership in agricultural finance and for creating a platform for critical industry dialogue. He described the Agriculture Summit Africa as "a vital convening for shaping the continent's agricultural destiny."
Continental Collaboration for Food Security
In his remarks, Olushola Obikanye, Group Head of Agric and Solid Mineral Finance at Sterling Bank, characterized the summit as "a journey of ideas, conviction, and hope for Africa's agricultural future."
Obikanye called on African nations to strengthen partnerships, deploy catalytic financing, and ensure practical policy implementation to accelerate agricultural transformation across the continent. "Africa's narrative is being rewritten, not by chance, but by the courage, innovation, and resolve of people who refuse to accept limits," he stated, highlighting the transformative power of collaboration demonstrated at ASA 2025.
In a show of regional support, Yobe State Governor Mai Mala Buni, represented by Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources Garba Usman, reaffirmed the state's commitment to mechanized farming and rural empowerment.
The event concluded with goodwill messages from prominent industry leaders including Vice Chairman of Noor Takaful Aminu Tukur, Chairman of Bank of Agriculture Mohammed Babangida, and Managing Director of Sunbeth Global Concepts Olasunkanmi Owoyemi.
