The Federal Government has called for intensified public-private partnerships (PPPs) to revive 38 moribund livestock facilities across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones, positioning the move as a pathway to food security, youth employment and sustainable livelihoods.

The Minister of Livestock Development, Alhaji Idi Maiha, made the call on Monday in Abuja during a specialised training on public-private partnerships organised by the ministry.

 He stated that many of the facilities, including milk collection centres, cattle multiplication centres, goat and sheep breeding centres, pig progeny centres and tanneries, have remained idle for decades despite their strategic importance.

Maiha noted that most of the facilities were established 60 to 70 years ago and must be urgently restored to productive use to unlock the full potential of Nigeria’s livestock value chain. 

He described PPPs as the preferred business model for modernising the facilities, attracting investment, and improving operational efficiency.

According to the minister, the Federal Government’s livestock sub-sector strategic plan for 2025–2030 aims to increase the sector’s contribution to GDP from $32 billion to between $74 billion and $94 billion within the next 10 years. 

He stated that achieving this target would require strong collaboration between the government and the private sector.

Maiha explained that the creation of the Ministry of Livestock Development signalled the government’s commitment to repositioning the sub-sector as a driver of food security, employment generation, rural development and economic diversification. 

Despite its significant contribution to nutrition and livelihoods, he said the sector’s potential remained largely untapped due to structural, infrastructural and investment gaps.

“Public-private partnerships are no longer optional but a strategic necessity,” Maiha said, adding that government alone could not sustainably finance, operate and modernise livestock value chains, while private investors required a stable policy and regulatory environment.

He stated that well-structured PPPs could promote innovation, risk-sharing and accountability, while accelerating project delivery and safeguarding public interest. 

The training, he added, was designed to strengthen institutional capacity to identify, structure and manage PPP projects in line with Nigeria’s laws and guidelines.

Source: NAN
Image Credit: FMLD