Tinubu Government Declares End Of Open Grazing, Launches Nationwide Livestock Revolution

The Federal Government has declared open grazing in Nigeria unsustainable and announced a nationwide plan to rehabilitate 417 grazing reserves as part of a new livestock transformation agenda aimed at modernising the sector and reducing farmer-herder conflicts.

At the inaugural meeting of the National Council on Livestock Development (NCLD) held on Monday, November 24, in Yola, Adamawa State, the Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, described the initiative as a historic step toward building a peaceful, productive, and sustainable livestock system.

Maiha said the government’s approach focuses on transitioning away from open grazing, which he termed outdated and prone to conflict. The rehabilitation plan will convert the reserves into fully equipped “Renewed Hope Livestock Villages” featuring improved pastures, veterinary services, water infrastructure, schools, clinics, dairy and beef processing facilities, and renewable energy systems. He emphasized that state governments would provide land for pastoralists adopting modern ranching, noting that ranching ensures security, stability, and higher productivity.

The minister highlighted the progress made under the Ministry of Livestock Development’s one-year-old National Livestock Growth Acceleration Strategy (NL-GAS), which seeks to expand the sector from $32 billion to $74 billion in five years by improving livestock genetics, productivity, and value-chain investments. Recent achievements include the registration of eight new pasture species, a national genetic resources plan, and a major expansion of vaccine production at the National Veterinary Research Institute, Vom, from 120 million to 850 million doses annually.

Maiha noted that the Wase Livestock Village has become a model for rehabilitating reserves, while collaborations with international dairy companies have helped increase annual milk production from 700,000 to 1.4 million metric tons. Several states are already benefiting from solar-powered boreholes, veterinary clinics, slaughter slabs, and milk collection centres under the L-PRES project.

He urged all states to adopt a unified approach to livestock reforms, warning that uneven implementation could undermine national progress.

The Chairman of the House Committee on Livestock Development, Tasir Olawale Raji, expressed the National Assembly’s support for the reforms, highlighting Nigeria’s low domestic livestock production, high import dependence, and below-average per capita consumption of milk, meat, and eggs. He said the legislature is developing legal frameworks to modernize production, enhance value addition, and attract private-sector investment.

The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr. Chinyere Ijeoma Akujobi, described the NCLD’s inaugural meeting as a defining moment for livestock transformation, noting that the council will serve as the apex body for policy coordination, partnership building, and innovation under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda. She commended development partners for their contributions toward wealth creation, livelihood improvement, and sector resilience.