Nigeria has taken a decisive step towards ending its USD 1.5 billion annual dairy import bill, launching a national blueprint to boost domestic milk production and unlock opportunities across the dairy value chain.

Government leaders, private sector players and development partners convened in Abuja on 4 November 2025 for a two-day workshop to validate the Implementation Framework of the National Dairy Policy, a major milestone in efforts to reshape Nigeria’s livestock economy and reduce dependency on imported milk.

Opening the event, the Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Maiha, said the country must urgently transition from being a net consumer of dairy imports to a sustainable milk-producing nation. Despite hosting an estimated 58 million cattle, one of the largest herds in Africa, Nigeria produces only 700 million litres of milk annually, far below the national demand of 1.6 billion litres.

The minister described the current import bill as a lost opportunity for wealth creation, rural livelihoods and agricultural growth.

“Every dollar spent on imported milk is a dollar that could have empowered a local pastoralist, a dairy processor or a rural community,” Maiha said. 

“We must transition from being a nation of dairy consumers to a powerhouse of dairy producers. There is no alternative.”

To accelerate local production, he unveiled new policy incentives, including five-year tax holidays for new dairy processors, low-interest credit for farmers, tariff protections, and the creation of modern dairy hubs in strategic milk-producing states. 

Additional plans include integrating locally sourced milk into school feeding programmes, introducing guaranteed off-take schemes and deploying specialised dairy extension officers to support smallholder producers.

Reinforcing the government’s commitment, Dr Adedeji Adeshile, Senior Special Adviser to the Minister of State for Industry, Trade, and Investment, noted that the growing supply gap presents both a challenge and an opportunity for industrial expansion.

“This supply gap is both a challenge and an opportunity. The framework validated today aligns public and private sector efforts towards full self-sufficiency,” he said.

He also acknowledged support from development partners, including Sahel Consulting, GIZ and the Commercial Dairy Ranchers Association of Nigeria (CODARAN), for their technical and policy contributions.

Representing the Presidential Livestock Reforms Implementation Committee, Prof. Attahiru Jega described dairy development as central to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope agenda, stressing that the sector extends beyond milk production to encompass job creation, nutrition, and national economic security.

Jega confirmed that the framework introduces a National Dairy Development and Milk Marketing Board and a National Dairy Development Fund to coordinate the dairy value chain and provide long-term financing. He also urged improved institutional capacity, private-sector innovation and membership of the International Dairy Federation to align Nigeria with global standards, citing India, Kenya, and Ethiopia as countries that have successfully built competitive dairy industries through structured reforms.

Private sector stakeholders similarly pledged support. CODARAN President, M.D. Abubakar advocated for the rapid adoption of backward integration, where processors invest directly in local milk supply, animal feed and breeding systems, as a strategic pathway to industry growth. 

He also backed the introduction of levies on dairy substitutes to protect local producers and accelerate self-reliance.

“Backward integration is a tested and proven strategy for achieving local dairy development while eliminating dependence on imported milk,” he said.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development, Dr Chinyere Akujobi, said the workshop reflected a shift from policy design to action, emphasising that the value of any policy depends on implementation structures that are realistic and measurable.

By the close of the sessions, stakeholders unanimously endorsed the Implementation Framework, signalling broad alignment on the future of Nigeria’s dairy sector. 

They agreed the framework represents the beginning of a transformation agenda that can strengthen food security, conserve foreign exchange and create millions of rural agribusiness opportunities.

Source: ScienceNigeria