World Bank-backed L‑PRES marks milestones as Nigeria eyes inclusive livestock growth

NIGERIA – The World Bank-supported Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support Project (L-PRES) has announced plans to expand its activities to reach a broader range of stakeholders in Nigeria’s livestock sector, aiming to improve productivity and strengthen the value chain. 

The six-year, US$500 million initiative, jointly funded by the Federal Government and the World Bank, began implementation in December 2022 and is scheduled to run through 2028.

National Project Coordinator, Dr Sanusi Abubakar, disclosed this during a Stakeholders Engagement Plan Validation Workshop held recently in Abuja. 

He noted the expanded engagement is designed to bring in more stakeholders, from pastoralist herders to smallholder farmers, women operators and youth groups, to ensure sustainable productivity gains across the country.

“The stakeholder engagement plan we are validating today was developed through broad consultations. This workshop provides stakeholders the opportunity to contribute to and own the document,” Abubakar said, emphasising the importance of mechanisms for grievance redress and participatory decision-making.

Since its inception, L-PRES has achieved measurable progress in improving livestock health, infrastructure, and commercialisation. 

The project has supported large-scale artificial insemination programs to enhance dairy genetics and increase local milk yields, with some states reporting conception rates exceeding 79% in cross-breeding exercises. 

In addition, the establishment of over fifty milk collection centres and the development of pastures aim to improve aggregation, reduce post-production losses, and stimulate local dairy markets. 

Investments in remapped grazing reserves and stock routes have helped mitigate farmer-herder conflicts, while hundreds of veterinary professionals and farmers have been trained in animal husbandry, disease control, fodder production, and commercial feed management. 

According to project reports, the initiative is expected to benefit approximately 1.43 million individuals nationwide, with at least 30% of participants being women, reflecting a targeted effort to empower female livestock operators.

Nigeria’s livestock sector

Livestock’s contribution to the Nigerian economy remains under‑realised. 

The sector employs about 30% of the rural population but contributes less than 10% to agricultural GDP and only 2‑3% to national GDP, highlighting persistent underperformance.

National estimates put the livestock population at over 417 million animals, including cattle, sheep, goats, poultry and pigs, a major source of protein, income and food security. 

However, insecurity and climate stress have inflicted losses estimated at up to 40% of herds, with economic impacts in the billions of dollars.

Pastoralism, primarily an extensive free grazing system, accounts for an overwhelming share of production, with pastoralists managing the majority of cattle and small ruminants. 

Yet, this system is low‑yielding; average milk production from traditional herds is well below global averages, forcing 60% of milk consumption to be met through imports.

Smallholder farmers dominate small ruminant production, particularly goats and sheep. Nigeria has one of Africa’s largest herds, but technical, feed and market access constraints limit output.

Women, often active in poultry and small ruminant enterprises, face barriers in financing, training and market linkages. 

L‑PRES’s targeted inclusion strategy aims to redress this by ensuring women’s access to inputs, advisory services and value‑chain networks.

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