Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, has opened discussions with a coalition of European dairy companies aimed at accelerating the development of Nigeria’s dairy industry through investment and technical cooperation.
The engagement took place on Tuesday in Abuja during a meeting between the minister and representatives of the EU Dairy Coalition of the Willing, a partnership of major international dairy producers seeking to support local milk production in Nigeria.
Members of the coalition include global dairy companies such as Arla Foods, Danone, and FrieslandCampina, firms with long histories in dairy processing and strong operations across global markets.
Speaking during the meeting, Maiha described the coalition as a group of committed partners whose expertise could play an important role in strengthening Nigeria’s dairy sector and reducing the country’s reliance on imported milk products.
According to the minister, improving livestock genetics remains the most important step toward raising dairy productivity and achieving meaningful transformation in the sector. He noted that discussions about livestock development would produce limited results without animals capable of delivering higher yields.
Maiha also highlighted the vast market for dairy products in Nigeria and assured the delegation that the Federal Government is ready to collaborate closely with the private sector to expand domestic milk production and reinforce the entire dairy value chain.
As part of the proposed collaboration, the minister suggested the creation of a breeding centre that would focus on improving dairy cattle genetics. He explained that stronger breeds would help increase milk output and improve the performance of herds across the country.
Coordinator of the EU Dairy Coalition of the Willing, Sanne Simmers, described the meeting as productive and said it reflected a clear alignment between government priorities and the interests of industry partners.
She said the coalition is focused on supporting Nigeria’s efforts to boost local milk production, particularly through improvements in cattle genetics and closer collaboration with the ministry to strengthen the dairy value chain.
