Nigeria has called on the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and Sahel countries to adopt deliberate and coordinated measures to advance livestock development, warning that the sub-sector remains far below its productivity potential across the region.
The appeal was made in Abuja during a two-day ECOWAS Policy Dialogue Workshop held to review the PRISMA Project and align its results with regional agricultural priorities for West Africa and the Sahel.
Speaking at the opening session, Mr. Peter Alike, Director, Technical Office of the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Livestock Development, said livestock production across the region is still at a rudimentary stage.
He emphasized the need for collaboration, noting: “We cannot do it alone, and you cannot do it alone… Collaboration is the first thing to be done.”
Alike revealed that Nigeria’s livestock sector currently contributes about $32 billion to GDP. Under the country’s 2025–2030 Strategic Plan, the government aims to grow the sector’s contribution to between $74 billion and $94 billion, adding that the true value across the entire value chain is likely higher.
He said Nigeria’s plan focuses on food security, job creation and rural income generation.
He added that the creation of a dedicated Ministry of Livestock Development by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu reflects the administration’s commitment to strengthening the sector and supporting national development.
Acting Executive Director of the Regional Agency for Agriculture and Food (ARAA), Mr. Konlani Kanfitin, reaffirmed ECOWAS’ commitment to advancing livestock development and promoting research-based innovations.
He commended the European Union (EU) and the Spanish Cooperation Agency (AECID) for co-financing the PRISMA Project, which supports resilient and climate-adapted agro-pastoral systems in line with ECOWAP.
Kanfitin said the policy dialogue provides coherence, strategic direction and participatory governance, noting that the livestock sector plays a central role in food security, job creation and rural livelihoods across member states.
However, PRISMA Researcher, Dr. Fernando Escribano, highlighted the project’s focus on tackling aflatoxins—harmful metabolites produced by fungi and bacteria that thrive under high moisture and temperature conditions.
He stressed the need for harmonised regional methods for detecting and measuring aflatoxins in livestock feed, noting that environmental threats do not respect borders.
He said PRISMA is promoting a unified system for sampling, testing and quality control to safeguard livestock feed across the region.
The workshop, supported by the EU, AECID, Luxembourg Cooperation, Belgian Cooperation, and Spanish Cooperation, brought together policymakers and experts to deepen research, innovation and policy alignment for improving livestock productivity, food security, youth employment and climate resilience in West Africa and the Sahel.
