Daniel Adaji
Lawmakers on the National Assembly Joint Committee on Livestock Development on Friday pressed for realistic and transparent funding to unlock Nigeria’s livestock sector, warning that underfunding could stall efforts to transform the industry into a major revenue earner.
The demand came during the 2025 budget defence of the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development, where the Minister, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, outlined plans to reposition the sector for export-driven growth.
Chairman of the Senate Committee on Livestock Development, Umar Shehu Buba, said the budget review process must ensure measurable impact and alignment with national economic objectives.
“The livestock sector must transition from traditional practices to modern enterprise. Proper investment across the value chain will generate employment, reduce imports, and support national diversification,” he said.
He stressed that funding must reflect the scale of ambition being outlined by the Ministry, noting that investments are required in breeding centres, artificial insemination, cold chain logistics, modern abattoirs and quality control systems. According to him, attracting private sector participation and improving access to finance will also depend on credible and adequately funded government commitments.
Similarly, Chairman of the House Committee on Livestock Development, Olawole Tasir Raji, and other members of the Joint Committee emphasised the need for improved releases to enable the Ministry to deliver on its mandate.
The Minister had told lawmakers that the newly established Ministry received only N20 billion out of its N75 billion take-off grant for 2024 and had no budgetary release for 2025, a development he said constrained programme implementation and revenue generation.
“Nigeria possesses a large livestock population, yet we earn minimal value from it. Our objective is to move from subsistence production to a structured commercial system that supports exports, creates jobs, and generates revenue for the country. Our Ministry is well positioned to generate significant revenue, but limited budget releases have hindered our ability to create the necessary avenues to tap into the economy,” Maiha said.
He disclosed that the Ministry is prioritising export-grade meat production, animal identification and traceability systems, disease control, feed and fodder development, and genetic improvement programmes to boost productivity and meet international standards.
For the 2026 fiscal year, the Ministry carried forward 70 per cent of its 2025 capital allocation in line with Federal Government directives, bringing its capital budget to N7.14 billion, with an additional N1.8 billion earmarked for overhead and operational costs.
Lawmakers maintained that while the sector holds significant potential for job creation, foreign exchange earnings and reduced imports, those gains would remain out of reach without realistic allocations and timely releases to drive implementation.
