The Benue State and federal government are collaborating to transform Nigeria’s cattle sector to promote peace, economic prosperity, and long-term development.
Speaking at the inaugural Benue State Livestock Development Summit in Makurdi over the weekend, Idi Maiha, Minister of Livestock Development, praised Governor Hyacinth Alia for establishing the Benue State Bureau for Livestock Development and appointing Dr. Aondoakaa Asambe as its Director General.
Maiha underlined that the project is consistent with the federal government’s development strategy, which aims to harness Nigeria’s cattle industry’s immense but underutilised potential.
He described the establishment of the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development as a “strategic step toward wealth creation, job opportunities, and national economic transformation.”
“The ministry’s mandate is to modernise the sector and create economic opportunities in the production and marketing of all farmable animals, from bees to cattle, camels, and donkeys,” he said.
Highlighting the economic potential of livestock development, Maiha revealed that the sector currently contributes 9% to Nigeria’s GDP, valued at $32 billion, with projections to grow to $74 billion by 2035 through targeted investments in breeding, animal health management, feed production, and market expansion. “The ministry has digitised grazing routes, and the 417 grazing reserves will be regrassed to provide sustainable pasture for pastoralist settlements,” he noted.
He also disclosed plans for state governments to allocate land for pasture production, tapping into the $2.09 billion global fodder market. Furthermore, the government is creating “disease-free zones and compartments at Obudu Cattle Ranch, the Mambila Plateau, and other strategic locations to enhance the production of healthy animals for domestic and international meat markets.”
Maiha underscored that a structured approach to livestock development is an economic imperative and a peacebuilding strategy to reduce conflicts between farmers and herders.
In his remarks, Governor Alia welcomed the Federal Government’s support, stating that livestock development had been neglected for decades in Benue despite its potential to combat food insecurity and boost the state’s economy.
“With 25,500 sq. km of arable land and vast livestock farming potential, Benue is ready to collaborate with the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development and private sector investors,” Alia said.
He further announced a 2025 policy shift towards “Pasture as a Fodder Crop,” a strategy to cultivate and bale improved pasture for sale to regions with high livestock populations.
He also announced plans to restore critical livestock facilities such as the Ikyôgen Cattle Ranch and Resort, Raav’s Livestock Investigation and Breeding Centre, and Makurdi International Cattle Market.
Alia reaffirmed his administration’s support for the Prohibition of Open Grazing and Ranches Establishment Law 2017 (as amended). He urged the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development to lead national legislative reforms establishing ranching as the industry standard.
Source: The Sun
