The Federal Government has flagged off the Maiden National Council of Livestock Development, (NCLD) in Adamawa State, charting a new transformative Agenda for the nation's livestock sector with a target of $74 billion industry within the next 5 years.
he meeting with the theme: “Livestock Rebirth: Accelerating Renewed Hope” according to the Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, formed a collective resolve to forge a new, prosperous, and peaceful future for Nigeria's livestock sector.
Speaking at the launch on Monday, Maiha stressed that the Council aims to coordinate national strategies and reforms that foster collaboration, attract investment, and transform the livestock sector into a key driver of economic diversification, food security, rural development and peace building.
He recalled that exactly one year ago, the Ministry was established with a clear mandate: to transform the livestock sector from a traditional, often conflict-ridden practice, into a modern, sustainable, and economically vibrant industry.
"I am proud to report that, in this short period, we have laid a solid foundation for this transformation, guided by the National Livestock Growth Acceleration Strategy (NL-GAS), The National Livestock Master Plan and other laudable initiatives.
"It encompasses increased productivity per head and increases population of our livestock. In line with our strategy, we are actively engaging with countries, community-based organizations, producer associations, indigenous companies, multinational companies and multi/bilateral development partners.," he said
The minister who highlighted key achievements since inception, noted that these engagements have already begun to yield fruitful outcomes, including bilateral collaborations and strong expressions of interest from foreign direct investors eager to participate in Nigeria’s livestock sector.
"We are already in discussions with several companies who want to invest in key sectors such as Dairy, Beef, Fodder, Small Ruminants, Animal Breeding, Poultry, Piggery and Animal Identification amongst Others. We will see the physical manifestation of these engagements in a few months.
"Development partners are already supporting us in dairy development, peace building and climate smart livestock production- many more are showing strong commitment and are coming as well."
The minister outlined some key achievements to include; foundational; Model Grazing Reserve Rehabilitation; Partnerships and Investment; the Imperative for a Common Approach-A Call for Unit; Breed Improvement and Genetic Resource; Rehabilitation of Grazing Reserves and Ranching Promotion, Investing in All Value Chains, among others.
"The decisions we make here in Yola will echo across our nation for generations. Let us leave this maiden Council with a renewed spirit of cooperation and a firm commitment to a single, national agenda.
"Let us work together to transform our livestock sector into a beacon of prosperity, a source of national pride, a shared prosperity and a guarantor of peace and food security for all Nigerians."
In his Keynote address, Prof Attahiru Jega, Special Adviser to the President on Livestock Reforms/ Coordinator, Livestock Reforms and Co-chairman, Presidential Livestock Reforms Implementation Committee, noted that for decades, Nigeria’s livestock sector has been encumbered by an entrenched triad of systemic challenges, stressing that; "our collective mandate is to midwife a national transition from subsistence-oriented husbandry to a resilient, commercially viable livestock economy capable of driving inclusive growth and rural prosperity.
"In this regard, I call upon this Council to commence its work with the ratification of an “NCLD Delivery Compact.
"This Compact should constitute a binding, intergovernmental covenant, a mutual pledge by federal MDAs, states, and critical stakeholders to implement specific, measurable, and jointly verifiable actions. It shall stand as our public sector scorecard, an instrument of transparency, mutual accountability, and unambiguous commitment to reform.
"I urge the Council to anchor all deliberations and decisions in evidence, particularly the extensive corpus of empirical analysis already undertaken and catalogued in the bibliography of the Ilorin Paper."
The Governor of Adamawa State who spoke through his Deputy, Professor Chief Kaletapwa George Farauta,, said that Adamawa State has been the pacesetter and trailblazer in the implementation of the National Livestock Transformation Plan (NLTP) as evidenced by the flagging off of the NLTP by the Federal Government of Nigeria in September, 2025.