The Federal Ministry of Livestock Development has reaffirmed its commitment to transforming Nigeria’s livestock sector through evidence-based data collection and Animal Genetic Resources (AnGR) management to improve productivity, resilience, and climate adaptation across the agricultural value chain.

The Permanent Secretary, Dr Chinyere Akujobi, made this known during the National Capacity Building Workshop on Data Collection and Management of Animal Genetic Resources, organised by the African Union Inter-African Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR) in collaboration with the Ministry in Abuja.

Represented by the Director of Technical Services, Dr Peter Alike, she noted that animal genetic resources form the foundation of livestock productivity, adaptation, and sustainable food systems.

“This workshop could not have come at a more opportune time as the livestock sector continues to play a critical role in national food security, economic development, rural livelihoods, and environmental sustainability,” she said.

Dr Akujobi emphasised that Nigeria has been blessed with rich indigenous livestock diversity, but the absence of harmonised and robust data systems has hindered its full utilisation. 

She described the capacity-building workshop as a crucial step towards building institutional and human capacity to generate reliable data, adopt modern tools, and align with continental and global frameworks.

She added that the initiative supports the National Livestock Growth Acceleration Strategy (NL-GAS), the ministry’s flagship plan for transforming the livestock sector into a productive, inclusive, and data-driven enterprise.

“The NL-GAS provides a clear roadmap for improving animal genetics, enhancing feed systems, strengthening veterinary services, and promoting data-driven decision-making across the entire livestock value chain,” she explained.

The Head of the Northeast Sub-office of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) in Nigeria, Al Hassan Cisse, lauded the country’s livestock diversity, noting that Nigeria hosts Africa’s largest livestock population, with 58.5 million cattle, 124 million goats, 64 million sheep, 14 million pigs, and 180 million poultry.

He revealed that West Africa remains a “data-deficient hotspot”, with one in four local animal breeds globally at risk of extinction. 

Cisse expressed optimism that the workshop would help create Nigeria’s first-ever Animal Genetic Resources dataset within the global Domestic Animal Diversity Information System (DAD-IS).

Also speaking, the Director of AU-IBAR, Mary Mbole-Kariuki, reaffirmed the organisation’s continued support through initiatives like the Genetics Project (2013–2019), which focused on strengthening national capacities for conserving and sustainably using animal genetic resources.

A statement by the ministry’s Director of Information and Public Relations, Ben Goong, said, “The project aligns with the Global Plan of Action for Animal Genetic Resources and reinforces Nigeria’s commitment to sustainable livestock management.”

Source: FMLD