Agriculture in Nigeria isn’t just about crops; it’s about feeding the nation, supporting livelihoods, and driving economic growth. Yet, one vital sector often overlooked is livestock.

Livestock production goes beyond providing meat and milk. It supports rural livelihoods, creates employment opportunities, and provides essential nutrition. Contributing roughly 17% to Nigeria’s agricultural GDP, the sector remains a cornerstone of the economy. 

Despite this importance, livestock farming continues to underperform due to low productivity, weak value chains, and recurrent farmer-herder conflicts.

Recognising these challenges, the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development (FMLD) unveiled the National Livestock Master Plan (NLMP) in September 2025, developed in collaboration with the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI). 

Background: Challenges Facing Livestock Farming in Nigeria

• Large but underperforming sector: Nigeria has one of the largest livestock populations in Africa, yet productivity per animal remains low (FAO).
• Limited livestock diversity: Poultry, cattle, goats, and sheep dominate Nigeria’s livestock production. This concentration, combined with traditional management practices, reduces resilience, limits productivity, and restricts income potential, while overlooking other highly productive livestock, such as pigs, rabbits, fish, and bees.
• Production constraints: Poor breeding systems, limited veterinary care, and inefficient value chains keep output below global averages.
• Farmer-herder conflicts: Recurrent clashes disrupt production, worsen food insecurity, and threaten social stability.
• Climate change impacts: Desertification in the north forces herders southward, sparking resource-based conflicts.
  

These challenges showcase the pressing need for a structured, inclusive, and sustainable framework for livestock management.

Overview of the New Livestock Development Policy

The National Livestock Master Plan (NLMP) aims to modernise animal agriculture, enhance veterinary and disease control systems, and stimulate investment across dairy, beef, poultry, and small ruminant production. 

It builds on lessons from previous initiatives, such as the 2019 National Livestock Transformation Plan, which fell short of nationwide adoption, but also emphasises economic growth, climate resilience, and peaceful coexistence between farmers and herders.

The policy also aligns with the National Food Systems Transformation Agenda, signalling the government’s intent to integrate livestock into broader agricultural reforms.

Core Objectives of the Policy

At its heart, the new livestock policy focuses on five key pillars:

1. Sustainable Production Systems: Encouraging the adoption of improved breeds, better feed and pasture management, and modern husbandry practices to boost yields.
   
2. Infrastructure Development: Establishing grazing reserves, veterinary laboratories, and animal markets that comply with global sanitary and trade standards.
   
3. Conflict Resolution and Land Management: Supporting state-level frameworks for the peaceful settlement of herders and farmers while protecting environmental resources.
   
4. Value Chain and Market Access: Promoting processing industries for dairy, hides and skins, and meat to reduce post-harvest losses and enhance export potential.
   
5. Private Sector and Youth Participation: Creating an enabling environment for agribusiness investors and youth-led ventures through capacity building and access to finance.
   

Why NLMP Matters?

The timing of this policy couldn’t be more significant. Nigeria’s livestock sector faces a convergence of crises; climate change, insecurity, and weak infrastructure have reduced animal productivity and disrupted trade routes.

Rising food prices and population growth have further pressured domestic meat and dairy supply. According to the World Bank, demand for animal-sourced foods in sub-Saharan Africa is expected to grow by about 150% by 2050, and Nigeria’s population alone could account for a sizable share of that growth.

Without modernising its livestock systems, Nigeria risks falling behind regional peers like Kenya, Ethiopia and Botswana, which are already scaling up commercial livestock production.

This policy, therefore, represents a strategic pivot, one that acknowledges livestock not as a side sector, but as a central driver of agricultural transformation and food security.

Potential Economic Impact of the New Livestock Development Policy

If effectively implemented, the new approach to livestock development could significantly boost Nigeria’s agricultural GDP and rural employment. Here’s how:

• Job Creation: From feed production to meat processing, the livestock value chain has the potential to generate thousands of new jobs, particularly for youth and women in rural areas.
  
• Export Growth: Improved production standards could open up new export opportunities for beef, dairy, and leather, positioning Nigeria competitively within the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
  
• Investment Attraction: By outlining clear guidelines and incentives, the policy could attract local and international agribusiness investments into animal health, logistics, and processing.
  
• Food and Nutrition Security: Greater livestock productivity directly improves access to protein-rich foods, tackling malnutrition and supporting the government’s food security goals.
  

However, unlocking these benefits depends on consistent policy execution, adequate funding, and inter-ministerial coordination, areas that have historically constrained agricultural reforms.

The NLMP Implementation Challenges

No policy succeeds on intent alone. Nigeria’s history of well-written but poorly implemented agricultural strategies raises valid concerns about whether this new framework will be different.

Some of the likely implementation hurdles include:

• Funding Gaps: Livestock infrastructure and disease control programs require sustained investment; yet, budgetary allocations to agriculture remain below the 10% commitment outlined in the Malabo Declaration.
  
• Security and Mobility Constraints: Persistent banditry and farmer-herder conflicts hinder consistent livestock movement and production.
  
• Institutional Coordination: Effective delivery requires collaboration across federal, state, and local levels, as well as input from the private sector. Fragmentation could stall progress.
  
• Technology and Knowledge Transfer: Scaling digital livestock systems, breeding innovation, and smart feeding technologies requires significant training and awareness campaigns.
  

These challenges show the importance of multi-stakeholder participation, particularly the inclusion of local communities, women, and pastoralist associations in policy implementation.

Global Lessons and Regional Context

Across Africa, several countries provide compelling examples of how well-coordinated livestock policies can transform economies and improve food security — lessons Nigeria can learn from.

Kenya’s Dairy Expansion: Kenya has partnered with the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) and its Dairy Board to nearly double milk production from around 8 billion litres to 18 billion litres by 2030. 

The initiative focuses on modern dairy farms, improved breeds, organised cooperatives, and enhanced feed management, strengthening rural employment and value chains. 

Nigeria can draw inspiration from Kenya’s approach to scaling milk production while supporting smallholder farmers. Read more about Kenya’s milk production efforts.

Botswana’s Livestock Export Model: Botswana has established a thriving livestock export industry through the implementation of disease-free zones, robust traceability systems, and integrated value chains for beef production. 

These measures have significantly contributed to GDP and foreign exchange earnings, demonstrating how quality control, policy consistency, and export-oriented strategies can drive economic growth.

Ethiopia’s Commercialisation and Market Integration: Ethiopia has scaled up commercial livestock production, especially in dairy and beef, through government programs and private-sector partnerships. 

Improved breeds, artificial insemination, organised cooperatives, and investments in processing and cold-chain infrastructure have increased productivity, reduced post-harvest losses, and connected smallholders to larger markets.

Together, these examples illustrate that boosting productivity alone is insufficient; success stems from combining policy support, modern farming practices, market integration, and value-chain development. 

For Nigeria, adopting similar evidence-based strategies could help the National Livestock Master Plan (NLMP) enhance livestock production, expand exports, create employment opportunities in rural areas, and strengthen food security.

Stakeholder Roles and Private Sector Opportunities

The success of the National Livestock Master Plan (NLMP) will depend on how well it mobilises stakeholders beyond government ministries.

• Private Sector: Agribusiness investors can drive innovation in feed mills, veterinary pharmaceuticals, dairy processing, and cold-chain logistics.
  
• Development Partners: Organisations such as the World Bank, IFAD, and USAID can provide support with technical expertise, infrastructure co-financing, and monitoring frameworks.
  
• Research and Academia: Nigerian universities and research institutes should provide localised data on breeds, animal nutrition, and disease management.
  
• Media and Civil Society: Outlets like AgroCentric.com have a crucial role in translating policy developments into actionable insights for farmers, students, and agripreneurs.
  

A Step Toward Livestock Transformation

While the New Livestock Development Policy represents a renewed commitment to modernising animal agriculture, its success will depend on execution discipline, political will, and transparent monitoring.

If implemented strategically, it could reposition the livestock sector as a pillar of Nigeria’s non-oil economy, delivering growth, food security, and resilience to millions of households.

The stakes are high, but so is the potential. If executed well, Nigeria’s livestock sector could emerge as a cornerstone of food security and economic growth.

The coming years will reveal whether this policy becomes another document on the shelf or a genuine catalyst for agricultural transformation.

To explore more practical strategies for boosting productivity and strengthening Nigeria’s livestock sector, read ‘From Policy to Productivity: Rethinking Agriculture in Nigeria.’