The Federal Government has deepened its collaboration with the African Union Inter-African Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR) to strengthen safe and orderly livestock mobility across West Africa, in a push to boost regional trade, protect pastoral livelihoods, and support climate-smart agriculture.
Speaking at the Continental Learning Forum on Market-Linked Transhumance Models in Abuja, the Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Maiha, stated that the renewed partnership reflects Nigeria’s commitment to transforming its livestock sector under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Maiha said the establishment of the Ministry of Livestock Development has marked a turning point for the sector, positioning Nigeria to improve productivity through stronger veterinary systems, breed enhancement, and increased private-sector investment along the value chain.
He noted that AU-IBAR’s ongoing initiatives have been making a measurable impact not only in Nigeria but across the continent, especially through efforts that promote safer mobility and disease-controlled pastoral systems.
According to the minister, Nigeria is ready to learn, collaborate, and partner with neighbouring countries to build a livestock industry that is “scientifically sound, economically viable, and socially inclusive.”
The Director of AU-IBAR, Dr Huyam Salih, represented by Prof. Ahmed Elbeltagy, stated that the forum’s theme reflects Africa’s evolving pastoral realities and the urgent need to link mobility with market access, disease control, and cross-border cooperation.
He stated that the goal is to transform pastoral corridors into economic corridors where farmers, herders, and private-sector actors benefit from predictable and well-regulated systems.
Salih acknowledged the progress recorded under the ECOWAS Transhumance Protocol and the 2018 Regulation on Transhumance, but warned that uneven implementation, insecurity, and fragmented policies continue to hinder full adoption.
Salih stressed that the forum is not merely a policy review but a commitment to shaping a future where mobility is understood as both an economic strategy and an ecological necessity.
“It is about ensuring that mobility is not seen as a problem to be controlled, but as a system to be strengthened, formalised, and linked to markets,” he said.
He added that efficient information flow, stronger disease-control systems, and predictable rules are essential for pastoralists and private-sector players to thrive.
The renewed focus on structured livestock mobility is expected to create new opportunities for youth employment, particularly in animal health services, digital tracking systems, and cross-border trade operations.
It also aligns with Africa’s broader shift toward climate-smart pastoralism, enabling herders to move livestock safely without fuelling conflict, overgrazing, or environmental degradation.
Source: NAN
