Livestock Ministry Deepens Partnerships to Accelerate Sector Transformation

The Federal Ministry of Livestock Development has reaffirmed its commitment to building strong partnerships with private sector operators and stakeholder groups to strengthen animal health services, boost productivity, and expand opportunities across Nigeria’s livestock value chains.

This formed the focus of separate courtesy visits to the Ministry by delegations from Ambuvet Konsult Nigeria Limited, Hybrid Feeds Limited, and the Women and Youth in Livestock Development and Food Network Nigeria (WYLAF), all of whom expressed interest in collaborating with the Ministry to advance livestock development in the country.

Leading the first delegation, the Team Lead of Ambuvet Konsult Nigeria Limited, Dr. Shehu Shamsudeen, presented the organisation’s model for delivering animal health services to livestock farmers, particularly in underserved rural communities.

According to him, Nigeria’s livestock sector holds enormous potential but continues to face constraints such as limited rural veterinary coverage, inconsistent vaccine access, and preventable livestock diseases that suppress productivity and incomes among smallholder farmers.

“We all know that Nigeria has one of the largest livestock populations in Africa and demand for livestock products continues to grow. However, one of the major constraints is last-mile delivery of animal health services. In many livestock-producing communities, animals still die from preventable diseases simply because veterinary services are not readily accessible,” he said.

Dr. Shamsudeen explained that Ambuvet has developed a network of community-based animal health workers, veterinary paraprofessionals, and agro-vets to bridge the last-mile service gap. Through this model, the organisation has supported over 100,000 smallholder livestock farming households across Nigeria with veterinary services, vaccination campaigns, advisory support, and access to animal health products.

He also highlighted several public-private partnership initiatives implemented with development partners and state governments, including vaccination campaigns that reached more than 14,000 livestock-producing households, covering over 60,000 small ruminants and 5,000 local chickens.

Dr. Shamsudeen noted that the organisation sees strong alignment between its work and the Federal Government’s livestock reform agenda, adding that structured public-private partnerships could significantly strengthen disease control, vaccination programmes, and veterinary service delivery nationwide.

In his response, the Honourable Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, emphasised that collaboration between government and private sector actors is essential to building a resilient livestock ecosystem.

“You realise that the Ministry alone cannot intervene in disease control, vaccination, surveillance, data capturing and many other critical areas. The best way to achieve results is through collaboration. There is enough fertile ground for government and private sector to work together for the benefit of our livestock farmers,” the Minister said.

He further stressed the need to strengthen veterinary infrastructure and human capacity across the country. “We need to build the capacity of veterinary paraprofessionals and community animal health workers, especially now that we are expanding veterinary clinics and model veterinary hospitals. These facilities must be supported by skilled personnel who can deliver services effectively to livestock producers,” he added.

In a separate meeting, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Hybrid Feeds Limited, Dr. Leye Alayande, briefed the Minister on the company’s contributions to livestock production through the manufacturing and supply of quality livestock feeds.

He disclosed that Hybrid Feeds, with over 20 years of industry experience, operates modern feed production facilities in Kano, Kaduna, Asaba in Delta State, and Ibadan in Oyo State, producing more than 300,000 metric tonnes of feed annually for livestock farmers across Nigeria.

“Our goal has always been to support livestock farmers with quality and affordable feed solutions. Today, our products reach thousands of farmers across the country and contribute significantly to improving productivity in poultry, ruminant, aquaculture and micro-livestock production,” Dr. Alayande said.

The company currently supplies feed to over 5,000 farmers nationwide, produces specialised feeds for poultry, cattle, sheep, goats, fish, rabbits, swine, snails and quails, and has created over 500 jobs through its operations.

Beyond Nigeria, Dr. Alayande revealed that Hybrid Feeds is partnering with the Government of Niger Republic to supply 33,000 metric tonnes of ruminant feed between 2024 and 2026, noting that the programme had already supported the growth of more than 50,000 livestock in Niger Republic, helping to improve pastoral livelihoods and food security.

Responding, the Minister commended the company’s role in strengthening livestock nutrition and feed supply, noting that improved animal nutrition remains central to the Federal Government’s strategy for boosting livestock productivity and competitiveness.

He also expressed particular satisfaction with the company’s growing footprint in the Niger Republic, describing it as a strategic pathway for Nigerian agribusinesses to expand across the Sahel region, and encouraged the company to continue exploring opportunities beyond the country’s borders.

He further welcomed reports of the strong acceptance of Hybrid Feeds’ products in Niger and assured the company of the Ministry’s willingness to support efforts to further publicize and promote such success stories as part of Nigeria’s broader livestock sector development agenda.

The Ministry also received a delegation from the Women and Youth in Livestock Development and Food Network Nigeria (WYLAF) led by its President, Hajiya Amina Kabiru, who presented the organisation’s vision of mobilising women and young people to participate more actively in livestock production and agribusiness.

The Minister encouraged the group to further refine its framework by expanding its membership base organically and developing credible datasets across livestock value chains. He assured the delegation of the Ministry’s support, particularly in facilitating access to land for pasture cultivation and livestock production as part of efforts to strengthen feed resources and create more opportunities for women and youth in the sector.

Oghenekevwe Uchechukwu
Head, Press and Public Relations 
5th March, 2026