Weak policies and compliance gaps have been identified as major challenges discouraging investment in Nigeria's livestock industry, thereby undermining the country's food safety. These concerns were raised at a pastoral markets forum in Abuja, organized by the African Union Inter-African Bureau for Animal Resources under its Africa Pastoral Markets Development (APMD) Platform. The APMD Platform is a four-year initiative supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, aimed at transforming pastoral economies into market-driven and resilient systems.
Industry players at the forum stated that while the livestock sector plays a vital role in sustainable food systems and economic growth, its potential continues to be constrained by inadequate incentives, weak enforcement of regulations, and poor infrastructure. The Managing Director of ABAT CBD Limited, Raymond Olalekan Odulate, explained that investors who have committed significant capital to modern livestock infrastructure are increasingly exposed to losses due to regulatory failures. He noted that his company invested heavily in modern abattoir facilities following reforms by the Lagos State Government banning informal slaughter slabs, but illegal operators continue to thrive.
“We went into abattoir infrastructure after the Lagos State Government made the law that no slaughter slabs are allowed anymore. We invested about N1 billion in our abattoir, covering the cost of land, buildings, and infrastructure,” Odulate said. He pointed out that despite the reforms, enforcement has been weak, allowing unregulated slaughter points to operate in unsafe environments. “After we started operations, we discovered that about four different slaughter slabs are still operating around riverbanks, in bushes, and even near refinery areas where chemicals are processed. As we speak, these slaughter slabs are still there, and that negates our own operations,” he added.
Odulate noted that the continued existence of illegal facilities has diverted customers away from certified abattoirs, forcing compliant businesses to operate below capacity. “At the end of the day, we are operating abnormally because the customers that are supposed to come to us are going to the slaughter slabs,” he said. He added that repeated engagements with government agencies, including the Ministry of Agriculture and the State House of Assembly, have yet to yield meaningful results. “We have approached the state government and discussed this issue extensively. The Ministry of Agriculture has come around, and we have also engaged the House of Assembly. They visited our abattoir and saw how we operate. They promised to get back to us, but till now, nothing has changed,” he lamented.
He warned that inconsistent enforcement not only discourages private investment but also poses serious public health and environmental risks, as many informal slaughter sites lack proper hygiene and waste management systems. “We are here in Abuja at this AU-IBAR meeting, which is a very good initiative to enhance the operations of pastoralists and the abattoir value chain towards exports, while also ensuring quality meat for our communities,” Odulate said.
Industry observers at the forum said Nigeria's ambition to integrate into regional and global livestock markets will depend largely on its ability to enforce standards, modernize infrastructure, and build trust across the value chain. They stressed the need for improved livestock traceability systems, stronger nationwide safety inspections, and better data integrity to support disease control and compliance with export requirements.
The Managing Director of Rahama Integrated Farm Limited, Munir BabbaDanagundi, said strengthening direct market linkages between producers and processors could help address inefficiencies in the value chain. “Both the producer and the processor, if not very careful in the system, the middleman can benefit more than the producer and the processor combined,” he said, noting that closer commercial relationships would ultimately reduce costs for consumers.
On his part, the Private Sector Engagement Expert at AU-IBAR, Mohammed Eidie, said the Abuja forum was designed to move beyond dialogue to practical deal-making. “We are here to do something different. The APMD Platform exists to ensure that market-driven transformation in pastoralism is not left to chance. What we are facilitating in Abuja is the infrastructure of trust—the handshakes and contracts that make a sector function,” Eidie concluded.
