Nigeria warns of escalating livestock feed crisis, urges regional action

NIGERIA – The Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, has announced that Nigeria is grappling with a severe livestock feed crisis, with more than 50 million cattle inadequately nourished.

Maiha announced this during the opening of a two-day Policy Dialogue Workshop convened to assess PRISMA project outcomes in relation to agricultural priorities across West Africa and the Sahel.

Maiha’s intervention made clear that securing adequate livestock feed must become a top policy priority, backed by coordinated national planning and strengthened regional collaboration.

Organized by the Regional Agency for Agriculture and Food under ECOWAS, the event gathered policymakers, technical experts, and development partners working to strengthen agricultural systems in the region.

Represented by the Director, Technical Office of the Permanent Secretary, Dr. Peter Alike, the minister said the livestock sector could contribute over US$94 billion in 10 years if properly developed.  

He stated that, even amid feeding crises and other challenges, the sector’s current contribution to the Gross Domestic Product was over US$32 billion.

He added that the creation of a ministry dedicated to livestock development was a deliberate government action to strengthen the sub-sector and drive national development.

According to the minister, the collaboration between Nigeria, ECOWAS, and other stakeholders across the region and the Sahel in achieving food security could not be overemphasised.

Peter Alike, Director of the Technical Office of the Permanent Secretary, said, “In Nigeria, we have over 50 million cattle in the hands of rural dwellers, and these are animals that must be fed. So, for us, feeding and indeed, food is a national imperative that we cannot even leave for tomorrow.”

He further emphasised the wider implications of feed shortages, noting that inadequate nutrition for animals threatens incomes, food security, and community stability.

The workshop, part of PRISMA’s efforts to link research and innovation to regional needs, is focused on improving feed quality, enhancing productivity, and building resilience in agro-pastoral systems.

Acting Executive Director, Regional Agency for Agriculture and Food (ARAA), Mr. Konlani Kanfitin, reiterated ECOWAS’ commitment to advancing livestock development and research collaborations in the region.

Commending the European Union (EU) and the Spanish Cooperation Agency (AECID) for co-financing the Research and Innovation for Productive, Resilient, and Healthy Agro-Pastoral Systems in West Africa (PRISMA) project, he noted that it aligned with ECOWAS’ regional agricultural policy (ECOWAP), which seeks to transform agricultural and food systems across the region.

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