On May 20th, 2025, as nations around the globe marked World Bee Day, Nigeria stood tall among them with a renewed commitment to the apiculture industry.
Under the theme “Bee Inspired by Nature to Nourish Us All,” the Honourable Minister of the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development delivered a powerful keynote address at the 6th Nigerian Youth Beekeepers Summit in Abuja.
His speech was not just a call to action but a historic moment that intertwined the ancient art of beekeeping with modern aspirations for youth empowerment, economic growth, and environmental sustainability.
Beekeeping, or apiculture, is one of the oldest agricultural practices known to humanity.
Archaeological evidence from ancient Egypt, dating back over 4,000 years, depicts the domestication of bees for honey and wax production.
The Egyptians used cylindrical hives made from clay and reeds and practiced seasonal migration of hives—an early precursor to modern nomadic beekeeping.
In ancient Greece, beekeeping was held in high regard. Aristotle, in his Historia Animalium, documented the biology of bees, laying a foundation for scientific observation.
Romans later adopted and expanded these practices, integrating beekeeping into estate agriculture, recognizing honey not just as a sweetener but as a medicinal and preservative agent.
Over centuries, apiculture evolved, gaining momentum in the Middle Ages in monasteries and, later, during the Renaissance when scientific curiosity brought innovations such as the movable-frame hive—perfected in the 19th century by Lorenzo Langstroth.
This advancement revolutionized beekeeping, allowing for honey extraction without destroying the hive and significantly improving productivity.
Meanwhile, In Nigeria, traditional beekeeping has long been practiced, particularly in rural communities, using log hives and rudimentary harvesting methods. Honey and beeswax have played roles in local economies, diets, and even cultural rituals.
However, with increasing awareness of environmental issues and sustainable agriculture, the sector has begun a gradual shift towards modernization.
Hence, the Minister’s keynote at the 2025 World Bee Day celebration recognizes this transition and underscores Nigeria’s strategic commitment to developing its apiculture sector.
The newly created Federal Ministry of Livestock Development symbolizes a bold leap forward, integrating apiculture into the broader vision of animal agriculture transformation.
The Honourable Minister highlighted several key initiatives that echo the global history of apiculture while forging a uniquely Nigerian path forward:
Youth Empowerment: By engaging Nigerian youth in apiculture through training, education, and entrepreneurship, the ministry seeks to create jobs, reduce poverty, and build environmental stewardship among future leaders.
Modernization and Quality Standards: A draft Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for beekeeping, soon to be validated, aims to raise the quality of Nigeria’s honey bee products to meet international standards—enhancing market access and foreign exchange earnings.
Environmental Sustainability: With pollinators under threat from climate change, habitat loss, and harmful chemicals, the speech called for sustainable practices and policy frameworks to protect bees and the ecosystems they support.
Collaborative Approach: The address emphasized multi-stakeholder collaboration, from government bodies to civil society, academia, and private sector partners.
This inclusive strategy is vital for addressing issues such as declining pollinator populations, low productivity, and poor value chain integration.
Moving forward, just as early civilizations relied on bees for sustenance, agriculture, and spiritual symbolism, today’s world looks to bees as indicators of planetary health.
Nigeria, by aligning its development goals with apiculture, not only honours this ancient legacy but positions itself to reap the benefits of modern beekeeping.
Conclusively, the World Bee Day celebration marks more than an event, it marks a turning point.
With dedicated leadership, youth engagement, and a forward-thinking policy environment, Nigeria can emerge as a regional leader in apiculture, contributing meaningfully to global food security, biodiversity conservation, and sustainable development.
From the sun-baked hives of ancient Egypt to the verdant landscapes of modern Nigeria, the story of beekeeping continues to evolve.
As the Honourable Minister eloquently declared, “Together, we can unlock the potentials of apiculture, promote youth employment, and ensure food security for future generations.” By marrying history with innovation, Nigeria is poised to let its apiculture industry soar just like the humble, tireless bee.
1 comment
i need your help, i want to learn how to keep bees, i stay in Ogun State