The Federal Government is considering an expansion of Ikun Dairy Farm in Ekiti State as part of efforts to strengthen domestic milk production and reduce Nigeria’s annual $1.5 billion expenditure on imported dairy products.
The Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, gave the indication during a visit to the facility in Ikun-Ekiti, Moba Local Government Area, where he identified the farm as an investment with potential to contribute significantly to Nigeria’s dairy development.
With a daily output exceeding 6,000 litres of fresh milk, the facility represents an existing production base that could be scaled up through stronger government and private-sector collaboration, Maiha said.
He expressed the Federal Government’s readiness to work with Promasidor Nigeria Limited and the Ekiti State Government to explore opportunities for expanding the operation, noting that increased domestic production would support employment, food security and livestock sector growth.
Operated by Promasidor in partnership with the Ekiti State Government, Ikun Dairy Farm occupies more than 530 hectares and has a cattle population exceeding 700. Although established in the 1980s, the facility experienced years of underutilisation before a partnership formalised in 2019 attracted renewed investment, including an initial $5 million injection from Promasidor.
The farm’s development has also extended to improving the quality of locally bred dairy cattle. Promasidor’s Group Chief Financial Officer and Chairman of the Board of Ikun Dairy Farm Limited, Yomi Adenson, disclosed that more than 160 pregnant heifers had been sold to farmers this year to improve access to breeding stock and support milk production beyond the facility.
Adenson explained that earlier attempts to establish the herd were hampered by the inability of imported cattle to adapt to local environmental conditions. Sustained breeding efforts have since produced successive generations better adapted to Nigeria’s climate.
The facility has also incorporated feed production into its operations, cultivating maize and soybean to support cattle nutrition while investing in animal healthcare and improved dairy management practices.
However, Adenson said further development of the farm would require closer cooperation with the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development and the Ekiti State Government.
Representing the state governor, Chief of Staff Oyeniyi Adebayo reaffirmed the government’s commitment to developing an integrated agricultural value chain covering crop and livestock production.
He also cited the commissioning of a modern veterinary clinic as part of efforts to improve animal healthcare and disease management.
