In a bold move to modernize Nigeria’s critical livestock sector, the Federal Government has announced its commitment to investing in indigenous technological solutions.
This was made clear by the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, at the launch of the Hack4Livestock 2025 Hackathon in Abuja.
The initiative seeks to harness local talent to develop practical, context-specific technologies tailored to the diverse challenges of Nigeria’s livestock industry.
“Whatever solution we are going to produce must not just be something that is for the high-end part of the ecosystem for livestock, but something that can actually work regardless of where you find yourself.
“Which is why we have decided that the best way to do this is to tap into the pool of talents in the country. It is about encouraging the best of the people in the country to build the solutions that we want to see,” Dr Tijani said.
He emphasized the government’s readiness to support innovation, noting, “Yes, the government is willing to invest. If the government is not willing to invest, a new ministry will not be established to look after this purpose. Investments in a sector like this should not just be about government. The role of government is putting in an enabling environment to allow private investors to try and come in and invest.”
As part of the program, selected innovators will receive mentorship from experts to refine their ideas and better align them with sector needs.
“By supporting them through that, our goal is that perhaps we can then create new solutions that are high value, but also generate economic benefits for the nation as well,” the Minister added.
To incentivize participation, the government announced that the top three winners of the Hackathon will each receive N10 million in funding.
Dr. Olubunmi Ajala, National Director of the National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (NCAIR), highlighted the livestock sector’s vital role in Nigeria’s economy and food security.
He stressed the need for inclusive innovation, saying: “Current data shows that less than 15 per cent of herders use digital tools. This is not because they do not see the value. It is because the tools have not been designed with their needs, constraints, and their wisdom in mind. We are not just building technology, we are building bridges. Bridges between innovation and tradition, between urban developers and rural practitioners, between policy makers and the communities they serve.”
Ajala also emphasized the sector’s significance: “Nigeria’s livestock sector is at the heart of our agricultural economy, contributing over 5 percent to our national GDP and sustaining the livelihoods of more than 40 million Nigerians.”
Following a rigorous two-phase screening process, 10 finalists were selected from 467 team applications, comprising 1,761 participants nationwide.
These teams will receive mentorship, develop functional prototypes, and pitch their solutions to a panel of judges for cash prizes and potential incubation support.
The government aims to drive innovation in areas like AI-driven disease detection, IoT-based grazing systems, and blockchain-powered supply chain transparency — all to transform livestock farming, boost productivity, and support economic resilience.
