Nigeria has announced plans to take a continental lead in deploying livestock identification and tracking systems, as part of broader efforts to modernise the sector and address long-standing challenges.
The Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Maiha, disclosed this on Thursday during a courtesy visit by the Managing Director of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), Daniel Omofoman, and his team at the ministry’s headquarters in Abuja.
According to the minister, the Federal Government is committed to “taking the lead among African countries in harnessing grazing identification and tracking mechanisms in livestock development in Africa.”
Maiha noted that Nigeria’s inability to effectively manage its livestock population—estimated at over 50 million cattle and millions of smaller ruminants—remains a major concern. He attributed this to poor breeding practices, weak maintenance systems, and reliance on traditional methods.
“It has become a challenge that the country is unable to manage the number of livestock in the country due to poor breeding and maintenance,” he said.
He explained that the sector has been hindered by “insecurity, weak infrastructure and policy implementation failure,” adding that livestock development has historically suffered neglect compared to crop farming. This, he said, has led to continued dependence on nomadic open grazing instead of modern ranching systems.
To address these issues, the minister outlined key strategies including tracking, traceability, proof of ownership, and improved export potential. He stressed that overcoming the sector’s challenges would require “a multifaceted approach that modernises traditional systems, strengthens infrastructural development and resolves land disputes across board.”
Maiha also revealed that the ministry would establish an in-house technical committee to develop “reasonable strategies and modalities of identification and tracking of cattle,” leveraging innovative technologies suited to Nigeria’s environment.
He assured stakeholders that the current administration is taking “bold steps to deal with them holistically,” while expressing readiness to collaborate with RFID stakeholders to strengthen implementation.
“We will do all within our capacity in ensuring that the Ministry sets up an in-house Committee that would look into the issues raised… and come out with reasonable strategies,” he said.
Earlier, Omofoman said his organisation’s visit was aimed at securing government endorsement for livestock identification systems as a national priority.
“The purpose of our visit is to get the endorsement of the Honourable Minister on animal livestock identification system as a national priority for live digital reconstruction,” he said.
He added that his organisation is prepared to provide the technological support needed to build digital infrastructure that aligns with sustainable development goals in the livestock sector.
Omofoman also sought the minister’s approval for the adoption of RFID technology as a national project to improve livestock visibility and management across the country.
The initiative is expected to enhance socio-economic value chain management in Nigeria’s livestock industry while positioning the country as a leader in modern livestock practices across Africa.
