As part of a renewed push to overhaul Nigeria’s agricultural landscape, the Federal Government has unveiled plans to establish modern cattle breeding centres in each of the six geopolitical zones of the country.
The initiative, which aims to transform the livestock sector and enhance food security, was announced by the Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi. He made this known during the second day of the Citizens-Government Engagement and Midterm Assessment of the Tinubu administration, held in Kaduna and organized by the Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation.
According to Abdullahi, the centres will serve as hubs for modern livestock practices, shifting away from traditional rearing systems toward more structured and economically viable methods. He emphasized that the programme will be implemented through the combined efforts of multiple ministries Agriculture, Environment, Water Resources, Livestock Development, and Marine and Blue Economy to ensure its success under the Tinubu administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
“The synergy and collaboration among these ministries are crucial for delivering on the Renewed Hope Agenda,” Abdullahi said. “We’re not just modernizing; we’re transforming an entire system.”
The minister stressed that the initiative is not only aimed at increasing meat and dairy output, but also at reducing long-standing conflicts between farmers and herders a persistent issue that has led to violence in states such as Plateau, Benue, and Kwara.
Earlier in the year, the National Economic Council (NEC) raised alarms over the current state of livestock management in the country, labeling it outdated and unsustainable. The council had called for a nationwide shift toward modern animal husbandry.
Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State, speaking to State House correspondents after the NEC meeting, echoed this urgency: “Council emphasized the fact that we cannot continue to live in the past. We must now work towards modernising livestock production in Nigeria.”
With the rollout of these cattle breeding centres, the Federal Government appears set to turn that call into action laying the groundwork for a more secure, productive, and modern agricultural sector.
