Nigeria, Denmark Deepen Livestock Partnership With New Cooperation Pact

Nigeria and Denmark have signed a new cooperation agreement aimed at strengthening livestock production, food safety, disease control, and agricultural innovation as both countries seek to deepen collaboration in the sector.

The agreement, signed in Abuja between the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development and the Danish Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries, marks the second phase of the Strategic Sector Cooperation (SSC) Programme in Livestock Production.

Speaking during the signing ceremony, Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, said the new phase of collaboration would build on earlier interventions targeted at improving livestock productivity and strengthening regulatory systems.

According to him, the partnership has supported the training of more than 100 Nigerian officials in areas including food and feed safety, animal disease surveillance, antimicrobial resistance management, climate adaptation, and veterinary regulation.

Maiha also disclosed that Nigeria and Denmark have commenced a joint pilot programme on antimicrobial resistance in Oyo and Kano states, describing it as one of the practical outcomes of the collaboration.

Danish Ambassador to Nigeria, Jens Ole Bach Hansen, said the new phase would move beyond institutional strengthening to focus more on implementation, including field interventions, disease prevention, biosecurity measures, surveillance systems, and support for livestock farmers and value chain actors.

Also speaking, Director of Food Safety and Applied Nutrition at NAFDAC, Eva Edwards, said the agency would continue to support cooperation in feed management, food safety, traceability systems, veterinary drug regulation, and data-sharing initiatives.

Project manager at the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration, Alex Sigersen, expressed optimism that the next phase of the programme would deliver tangible benefits to farmers, livestock communities, and the broader agricultural sector.

The event was attended by senior officials from the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development, NAFDAC, the Danish Embassy, and the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration.