The Federal Government is turning to expanded grazing reserves as a key strategy to boost Nigeria’s livestock economy, cut the country’s $1.5bn annual milk import bill and help raise the sector’s contribution to $74bn by 2030.
The strategy, being implemented by the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development, is also expected to provide a more organised production system for pastoralists while reducing the movement of cattle across farming communities, a practice that has frequently been associated with clashes between farmers and herders.
The ministry said infrastructure work had commenced in selected grazing reserves, although the pace of implementation has been affected by delays in the release of government funds.
Among the locations receiving attention are the Kawu Grazing Reserve in the Federal Capital Territory, the Wase Grazing Reserve in Plateau State and the Wawa Zange reserve in Gombe State.
The ministry’s Head of Press and Public Relations, Oghenekevwe Uchechukwu, said the projects were being implemented in phases in partnership with the affected state governments and other agencies.
According to her, development of the reserves requires substantial infrastructure and cannot be completed within a short period.
She said work had already begun at Kawu, including the drilling of a borehole and the establishment of pasture, while discussions with the Rural Electrification Agency were underway to introduce solar power at the facilities.
Uchechukwu explained that the government’s broader objective was to make livestock production more productive by providing animals with reliable access to water, pasture, electricity and other essential facilities.
She said the ministry expected better managed livestock settlements to improve the physical condition of animals and consequently increase the quantity of meat available when cattle were processed.
The same approach, she added, could increase milk yields because animals would expend less energy moving long distances in search of pasture and water.
Nigeria currently spends an estimated $1.5bn annually on milk imports, making domestic dairy production a major part of the government’s livestock development strategy.
Uchechukwu said improving the efficiency of locally produced animals would reduce the need for imported dairy products while increasing earnings for farmers and pastoralists.
She said the ministry was working towards increasing the livestock sector’s economic contribution from about $32bn to $74bn by 2030.
Beyond production and revenue, the government is also presenting the grazing reserve programme as an intervention in Nigeria’s persistent farmer and herder conflicts.
The ministry believes that keeping livestock within properly developed and managed reserves would make it easier to monitor animal health and respond quickly to disease outbreaks.
It would also reduce the need for cattle to move through crop producing communities, thereby lowering the likelihood of disputes between livestock owners and farmers.
The development of grazing reserves forms part of the Federal Government’s livestock transformation programme, which gained greater institutional focus following the establishment of the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development in 2024.
The ministry has identified improved pasture, water supply, electricity and other supporting infrastructure as necessary components of the transition towards more structured livestock production.
At Wase in Plateau State, the government has set its sights on turning the reserve, which covers more than 100,000 hectares, into a large-scale livestock production centre.
Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, reiterated the plan during a visit to the reserve in July, with the ministry seeking collaboration with public and private investors to develop the facility.
The ministry has also indicated that similar infrastructure interventions will be extended to other designated reserves as funding becomes available.
However, Uchechukwu acknowledged that delays in budgetary releases remained one of the factors slowing implementation, particularly where other government agencies are involved.
She said the Rural Electrification Agency, for example, depends on government funding to execute its part of the programme, meaning delays in releases can affect the overall timetable.
Despite the funding constraints, the ministry said construction and related activities were continuing at the selected locations, with further inspections and commissioning expected as individual projects reach completion.
