By Eniola Arowolo
The Federal Ministry of Livestock Development has launched a bold new initiative aimed at transforming Nigeria’s livestock industry through active engagement of youth and women.
This was disclosed during a two-day Strategic Workshop on Youth and Women Initiative in Livestock Value-Chains, held in Abuja.
Speaking at the event, the Honorable Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Muktar Maiha, emphasized the critical role of youth and women in modernizing the livestock sector, which he described as rich with “imagined opportunities.”
“We must turn the demographic bulge into a national asset,” the Minister declared. “By cultivating their youthfulness, their ideas, and their bio into productive ventures, we can galvanize a national movement.”
The Minister noted that Nigeria’s livestock sector is on the brink of transformation. Citing figures, he revealed that over 850,000 “booths” — referring to livestock production units — have already been identified, with more being planned.
“We combine capacity. We have 4,000 booths per year. These are booths that are going to be processed at the right age,” he said.
He highlighted existing partnerships with private companies capable of providing 500 capacity kits daily, emphasizing the need for scalable infrastructure and support mechanisms including processing, packaging, and distribution.
Maiha then outlined an ambitious strategy to deploy 1,000 livestock production units per state, engaging young people and women across the country.
He stressed the importance of passion-based recruitment, mentorship, and training, coupled with collaboration from financial institutions.
His words: “We must work with selected areas, identify passionate individuals, recruit and mentor them, and ensure access to funding,” the Minister explained. “How are we going to do this? Who will be the management agents? These are the questions we are answering here.”
The initiative will also seek to integrate value chain development — from feed production to animal health services — turning even a single hectare of land into a hub of economic activity.
Maiha did not shy away from addressing cultural barriers, stating that agriculture, particularly livestock, is often seen as a “backward vocation,” but stressed the need to reframe it as a modern, profitable, and respected sector.
He also highlighted the often-overlooked contributions of women in livestock management.
“There are places in Africa where the largest amount of milk comes from the family cow, handled by women.
“We must craft policies that acknowledge the feminisation of livestock,” he said.
From goat and sheep rearing to chicken hatcheries and rabbit farming, the Minister said the initiative would cover the full spectrum of livestock activities.
In his closing remarks, the Minister expressed optimism that the workshop would lead to the development of a workable, nationally applicable strategy that connects grassroots actors with institutional support.
“This strategy is intended to galvanize the entire country. We will come out of this process equipping the young with the right skills, knowledge, resources, and connections,” he concluded.
