The Federal Government has inaugurated a Technical Working Committee for the proposed Performance of Veterinary Services (PVS) Evaluation Mission in Nigeria as part of renewed efforts to strengthen the country’s animal health system and accelerate the eradication of Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR).
The committee was inaugurated in Abuja by the Honourable Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, during a courtesy visit by members of the proposed PVS Evaluation Committee to his office.
Speaking at the inauguration, the Minister described the exercise as a significant milestone in Nigeria’s commitment to improving veterinary governance, enhancing disease surveillance and safeguarding food security and livelihoods across the country.
Maiha stated that the proposed PVS Evaluation Mission, scheduled for June 2026, would provide an opportunity to assess the progress made in strengthening veterinary services since Nigeria’s last evaluation in 2019.
According to him, the previous assessment offered a comprehensive review of the nation’s veterinary system, prompting deliberate reforms aimed at improving service delivery, institutional capacity and disease control mechanisms nationwide.
He noted that the forthcoming mission would not only validate reforms already undertaken but also identify critical gaps requiring further attention to reposition Nigeria’s veterinary services for greater resilience and global relevance.
The Minister stressed that Peste des Petits Ruminants, a highly contagious disease affecting small ruminants, remains a major threat to food security and the livelihoods of smallholder farmers, making its eradication a national priority.
He added that Nigeria’s commitment to the global eradication of PPR must be reflected through measurable improvements in surveillance, vaccination, diagnosis and rapid response systems.
Maiha further mandated the committee to develop a comprehensive roadmap and work plan for the evaluation process, coordinate stakeholder engagement and facilitate data gathering and documentation required for the mission.
The committee was also tasked with ensuring effective communication with the World Organisation for Animal Health team, identifying existing gaps within the system and promoting nationwide awareness and participation among relevant institutions and stakeholders.
The Minister emphasized that strengthening veterinary services goes beyond animal health, noting that it directly impacts public health, food safety, trade opportunities, economic stability and national development.
“Effective veterinary systems are indispensable to the One Health approach, particularly in an era where emerging and re-emerging diseases continue to pose global threats,” he stated.
Maiha commended international partners, technical agencies, state governments, veterinary professionals and frontline animal health workers for their continued support towards disease prevention and control efforts across the country.
He thereafter formally inaugurated the Technical Working Committee for the proposed Performance of Veterinary Services Evaluation Mission in Nigeria with special focus on Peste des Petits Ruminants.
