Daniel Adaji
The Federal Government has launched a renewed push to harmonise livestock data nationwide, a move officials say is crucial for strengthening planning, boosting accountability and attracting long-term investment into the livestock sector.
The Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, made this clear on Thursday at the opening of the two-day Multi-Stakeholder Workshop on Strengthening National Livestock Sector Accountability and Alignment, which began in Abuja on 27th November 2025. He stressed that Nigeria cannot transform the industry without first getting its numbers right.
According to him, “If you cannot measure it, you cannot change it,” noting that the country still lacks reliable figures for its national herd, slaughter rates, the number and distribution of certified inseminators, and the performance of small, medium, and large-scale producers. He explained that without a unified data system, government cannot design bankable projects, attract credible investors, or adequately address persistent challenges such as disease outbreaks and low productivity.
Mukhtar announced that the Ministry is developing a comprehensive Livestock Public Digital Infrastructure, set for launch early next year. He said the platform will serve as the backbone of a new Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Framework designed to strengthen national livestock management. “This system is essential for delivering President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and achieving national priorities in food security, job creation, revenue growth, and a stable production environment,” he added.
He also highlighted the importance of the forthcoming National Livestock Census, explaining that the Ministry plans to work closely with development partners using the proven model of the National Polio Strategy to ensure accuracy and full national coverage.
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr. Chinyere Ijeoma Akujobi, echoed these concerns. She pointed out that while Nigeria already hosts vast datasets from systems like the National Livestock Identification and Traceability System (NLITS), the National Animal Disease Information System (NADIS), and various federal and state-level databases, the lack of integration has weakened policy outcomes. She warned that these datasets currently “sit in silos,” leading to fragmented decisions, diminished investor confidence, and limited capacity to plan effectively for national livestock growth.
During the technical presentation, Head Programmer and Delivery Lead at De Olimage Company Limited, Josephine Okeke, outlined the structure of the unified M&E platform. She said it consolidates more than 400 indicators from the National Livestock Growth Acceleration Strategy (NL-GAS) and the Ministerial Performance Board. These indicators have been streamlined into eight sectoral goals, giving policymakers a clear framework for measuring progress.
The baseline developed at the workshop will guide performance tracking from 2025 to 2035, as the country works toward a projected $74 billion GDP contribution from the livestock industry. Okeke noted that the system aims to shift government reporting “from activities to actual outcomes,” adding that agencies have often celebrated actions without proving real impact.
The workshop brought together government officials, technical experts, and sector stakeholders to refine baseline methodologies, validate indicators, assign roles, and create a coordinated reporting structure for the livestock sector.
