The National Economic Council, NEC, has constituted a Livestock Development Committee to fast-track the implementation of a nationwide livestock programme aimed at addressing Nigeria’s long-standing farmer–herder crisis.
The committee was formed during the 155th virtual meeting of NEC and will be chaired by the Governor of Kebbi State. Its membership includes one representative from each of the six geo-political zones, Bauchi, Niger, Ondo, Imo, Cross River and Kebbi, alongside key federal ministers and the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Agribusiness.
Vice President Kashim Shettima, who chairs the Council, said a practical, enduring and nationally acceptable solution to the farmer–herder crisis is critical to safeguarding food security. He warned that the violence associated with the conflict has deepened distrust, destroyed lives and farmlands, and become a shared national challenge, urging state governors to take the livestock reform proposals seriously.
The committee is mandated to review the recommendations of the Presidential Livestock Reform Committee, assess proposals from the Ministry of Livestock Development, and identify states ready to begin implementation of the programme.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had earlier directed NEC to work with the Ministry to develop a clear roadmap for transforming Nigeria’s livestock sector into a modern, peaceful and profitable driver of national development.
The Tinubu administration has pledged priority attention to the reform proposals, calling on state governments to support the initiative, noting that a stable livestock industry will enhance food security, revive rural economies and reduce security pressures linked to competition over land and resources.
(Editor: Ada Ononye)
