Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has projected that Nigeria’s livestock industry will be valued at approximately N50 trillion over the next decade.
He made this declaration during the opening ceremony of the 12th Joint Annual Meeting of the Nigerian Institute of Animal Science (NIAS) and the Animal Science Association of Nigeria (ASAN) held in Abuja with the theme, “Pathways to Addressing the Challenges of Climate Change in Animal Agriculture.”
Dr. Ganduje, a former governor of Kano State, emphasized that achieving this will require the availability of infrastructure, support for value chain development, and financing, amongst other needs.
“With the proper infrastructure and support for value chain development, expansion and sustenance, financing, research and development for new breeds, as well as capacity development of operators in place, the Nigerian livestock industry could be valued at N50 trillion over the next decade.
“The current worth of the industry would therefore constitute approximately 20 percent of Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and more than 30 percent, at the rate of the 10-year projected figure, against today’s GDP.”
Addressing participants comprising animal scientists, academia, policymakers, veterinarians, and livestock commodity associations, Ganduje encouraged creative thinking to enhance productivity and improve market accessibility within the livestock industry for broader socio-economic impact.
In his keynote address titled, “Towards a Sustainable Livestock Production System for National Economic Development,” Dr. Ganduje urged stakeholders to explore innovative solutions to address challenges related to climate change in animal agriculture.