The Economic Community of West African States, alongside Nigeria, Morocco and Ghana, is intensifying efforts to modernise livestock management through stronger animal identification and traceability systems aimed at improving disease surveillance, strengthening veterinary services and expanding access to regional and international markets.
The drive is being advanced through the regional bloc’s livestock identification and traceability roadmap, Nigeria’s National Livestock Information Management System, and Morocco’s newly introduced national animal database, according to official reports from ECOWAS, the Nigerian government and the Moroccan parliament.
A major milestone was recorded in Lomé, where ECOWAS concluded the 8th Meeting of its Regional Veterinary Committee, reaffirming its commitment to developing a harmonised livestock identification and traceability framework across West Africa.
According to an ECOWAS communiqué, the three-day meeting brought together nearly 60 participants, including directors of veterinary services from member states, presidents of national veterinary associations, representatives of regional institutions, international organisations, technical and financial partners, and livestock sector experts.
The participants reviewed progress on existing livestock traceability initiatives across the region, assessed persistent challenges affecting implementation, and examined digital technologies capable of strengthening animal identification, disease monitoring and veterinary service delivery.
The discussions also focused on developing coordinated regional strategies that would improve livestock health management, facilitate cross-border animal movement and enhance the competitiveness of West Africa’s livestock industry through more reliable traceability systems.
