The Federal Government has deepened collaboration with key industry players to expand local milk production and strengthen the country’s dairy value chain.
The Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, disclosed this on Tuesday in Abuja while receiving members of the Dairy Sub-Sector Group of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) during a courtesy visit to his office.
Maiha said stronger partnerships between government and private sector stakeholders remain critical to revitalising the dairy industry and unlocking Nigeria’s vast livestock potential.
He identified priority areas for cooperation to include breed improvement, development of feed and fodder resources, expansion of milk aggregation and collection centres, and capacity building for dairy farmers.
According to the Minister, improving livestock genetics and strengthening milk collection infrastructure are key steps toward boosting local production and building a competitive dairy value chain capable of meeting domestic demand.
He also highlighted the scale of Nigeria’s dairy import burden, noting that the country spends about $1.5 billion annually on dairy imports and another $1.5 billion on vaccines, despite having one of the largest markets for such products in Africa.
Maiha explained that the Ministry is seeking to attract investors into the livestock sector through structured public-private partnerships. He revealed that the government plans to rehabilitate 417 grazing reserves, which will be opened to investors willing to support the development of the dairy industry and increase domestic milk output.
The Minister urged the association to work closely with the Ministry in designing a strategic framework that will support local dairy farmers, improve productivity and gradually reduce Nigeria’s reliance on imported milk and dairy products.
Earlier, Chairperson of the MAN Dairy Sub-Sector Group and Executive Director of Corporate Affairs at FrieslandCampina WAMCO Nigeria Plc, Ore Famurewa, said the visit was aimed at reaffirming the group’s commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s organised dairy industry and advancing collaboration with the Ministry in implementing the National Dairy Policy.
Famurewa noted that although Nigeria has strong consumer demand for dairy products, local milk production remains far below national consumption levels, resulting in a significant supply gap.
She said member companies of the group have continued to invest in the sector through local milk sourcing initiatives, establishment of milk production centres and dairy clusters, training and integration of pastoralists and smallholder farmers, as well as expansion of processing capacity and cold-chain infrastructure.
Famurewa further proposed deeper collaboration with the Ministry in areas such as structured dairy clusters, milk collection networks, breed improvement, feed and pasture development, farmer training, and stronger public-private partnerships to accelerate the implementation of the National Dairy Policy.
Members of the MAN Dairy Sub-Sector Group include Nestlé Nigeria Plc, FrieslandCampina WAMCO Nigeria Plc, Dano Milk, Arla Foods and the Commercial Dairy Ranchers Association of Nigeria (CODARAN), among others.
