The Federal Government has intensified a nationwide push to overhaul animal genetics management, positioning science, data, and coordinated policy as the backbone of Nigeria’s livestock transformation drive.
Speaking at a high-level stakeholders’ consultative workshop in Abuja on Tuesday, the Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, charged experts to deliver practical, science-based solutions to long-standing gaps in Animal Genetic Resources (AnGR) management, stressing that reform must move beyond theory into implementable action.
The workshop, convened under the Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support Project (L-PRES), a World Bank-assisted initiative, focused on developing harmonised national protocols for the characterisation, inventory, and risk monitoring of livestock genetic resources.
Maiha described the livestock sector as central to food security, rural livelihoods, and economic stability, warning that Nigeria cannot achieve sustainable growth without a unified and data-driven breeding framework.
He emphasised that credible baseline data on indigenous breeds—including their distribution, genetic composition, and adaptive traits—is critical to defining breeding objectives and safeguarding biodiversity.
He noted that without accurate and consistent data systems, efforts to improve productivity or conserve valuable breeds would remain ineffective.
The Minister further highlighted the need for continuous monitoring mechanisms to detect genetic erosion early, prevent extinction risks, and guide timely interventions such as conservation programmes and improved breeding strategies.
Declaring the workshop open, the Minister aligned Nigeria’s efforts with global frameworks on animal genetic resources, urging participants to produce simplified, practical, and scalable protocols capable of driving nationwide implementation.
Also speaking, the Director of Ruminants and Monogastric Development and National Coordinator on Animal Genetics, Victor Egbon, called for inclusive and easy-to-adopt systems that can function effectively across all states, assuring stakeholders of government’s readiness to institutionalise outcomes from the engagement.
Earlier, the National Coordinator of L-PRES, Sanusi Abubakar, described the workshop as a critical milestone in executing Nigeria’s National Strategy on Animal Genetic Resources, launched in 2025. He explained that while breed characterisation provides the scientific foundation for understanding livestock diversity, robust inventory and monitoring systems are essential for evidence-based decisions and timely interventions.
Abubakar added that the initiative is designed to strengthen national databases, improve policy formulation, and enhance conservation and productivity across the livestock value chain.
In a goodwill message, the Country Representative of the Food and Agriculture Organization, Hussein Gadain, reaffirmed continued technical support, noting that strong veterinary and genetic systems are vital for protecting animal health, ensuring food safety, and maintaining market confidence.
Representing subnational interests, Professor Abba Gambo of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum commended the Federal Government’s collaborative approach and pledged support for expanding programme participation to remaining states.
Traditional institutions also lent their voice, with the Emir of Nasarawa, Ibrahim Usman Jibril, calling for sustained stakeholder collaboration to ensure lasting impact.
The workshop drew participants from academia, research institutions, development partners, and government agencies, all aligned on advancing a resilient, data-driven, and globally competitive livestock sector anchored on sustainable use and conservation of animal genetic resources.
