The Federal Government has signed a Letter of Intent (LoI) with the Kingdom of Denmark to launch Phase II of the Strategic Sector Cooperation (SSC) Programme in Livestock Production on Sunday, 7 June 2026, in Abuja, to improve local meat and dairy transformation, enhance animal health systems, and strengthen disease prevention models.

The agreement was formalised by the newly created Federal Ministry of Livestock Development and the Danish Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries. 

Under this new phase, the project will deploy veterinary experts to local communities to implement advanced biosecurity measures, standardise animal feeding operations, and provide data-sharing tools to secure local animal supply chains.

The partnership has already generated considerable human capital improvements. The Honourable Minister of Livestock Development, Alhaji Idi Mukhtar Maiha, revealed that over 100 Nigerian regulatory and veterinary officials have completed training sessions in food safety control, climate adaptation, and antimicrobial resistance management. 

Maiha announced the immediate rollout of a joint antimicrobial resistance pilot scheme targeting large farming clusters in Oyo and Kano states.

Danish Ambassador to Nigeria, Jens Ole Bach Hansen, emphasised that Phase II will focus heavily on offering direct support to local livestock processors and smallholder value chains. 

To manage consumer health concerns, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has committed to supervising food safety and animal feed traceability guidelines. 

The Director of Food Safety at NAFDAC, Mrs Eva Edwards, stated that building clear regulatory databases is crucial for maintaining food safety. This point received support from Alex Sigersen, a project manager at the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration.

Source: Federal Ministry of Livestock Development