The Federal Ministry of Livestock Development has commenced the second phase of its intensive national capacity-building programme for Quality Assurance Assessors in Kaduna State.
Launched on Monday, June 29, 2026, the targeted regulatory intervention brings together specialised agricultural inspectors from across the North-West geopolitical zone, including Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto, Jigawa, and Zamfara States, to enforce rigid food safety protocols, upgrade meat traceability tracking, and boost the global market competitiveness of Nigeria’s livestock products.
The zonal convention scales up the momentum built during the successful first phase of the program, which ran from May 6 to 8, 2026, in Yola, Adamawa State, for North-East assessors.
Opening the two-day technical workshop, the Director of Quality Assurance and Certification, Dr Nurallah Abubakar, emphasised that the credibility of Nigeria’s agricultural commodities in an increasingly competitive global marketplace relies entirely on the technical competence of its inspectors.
He explained that the ministry is deploying standardised, data-driven evaluation tools to equip assessors with the practical competencies required to conduct objective, evidence-based quality audits across both public and private livestock processing systems.
The regulatory push is taking on heightened urgency due to persistent public health challenges tied to the informal processing and transit of animal and dairy goods.
Validating the program, the Director of Veterinary and Livestock Services for Kaduna State, Dr Pakachi Zakariya, warned that ongoing structural reforms in the livestock sector can only succeed if supported by an aggressive, uncompromising quality control shield.
He noted that upgrading rural hygiene standards is an absolute public health priority to shield everyday consumers from foodborne pathogens and restore investor confidence in local ranching networks.
The intensive curriculum combined rigorous classroom theory with practical field exercises. Technical modules focused on risk-based inspection routines, hazard analysis critical control points (HACCP), standardised record-keeping, and advanced laboratory interpretation.
Participants conducted a live field simulation audit at a commercial poultry facility in Kaduna.
During the exercise, the assessors mapped potential biological risk zones, evaluated live production workflows, and issued evidence-based compliance scorecards to the facility’s management, demonstrating a practical framework that a representative of the Kaduna State L-PRES Project, Dr Sani Bello, noted is vital to slashing post-production losses and unlocking regional export corridors.
Source: Federal Ministry of Livestock Development
