FG Targets 7,000 Jobs Through Ranching Programme

The federal government said it is targeting the creation of about 7,000 direct jobs through an estate-based ranching programme designed to expand livestock production and boost participation of youths and women in the sector.

Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, disclosed this during a meeting with the management of Access Bank Plc in Abuja.

Maiha said the proposed ranching model is structured to open opportunities for young people and women to participate in ranch operations and other livestock-related enterprises, while modernising production systems across the country.

“The programme is projected to create about 7,000 direct jobs while supporting growth across the dairy, red meat and leather value chains,” he said.

He explained that the initiative forms part of broader efforts by the federal government to reposition the livestock sector as a key driver of economic growth, food security, and job creation.

According to him, the ministry is also working on financing frameworks tailored to livestock production, particularly dairy farming, which typically requires longer production cycles before generating returns.

Maiha added that plans are underway to establish modern abattoirs in selected states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), aimed at improving meat processing standards, food safety, and efficiency across the value chain.

He noted that each of the proposed facilities would have the capacity to process at least 1,000 cattle daily when fully operational.

The minister also emphasised the need for increased investment in feed and fodder production, stressing that improved animal nutrition remains critical to raising productivity in the livestock sector.

Speaking earlier, Access Bank Plc Public Relations Manager, Jonathan Oloniyo, said the bank is willing to collaborate with the ministry in supporting livestock sector development initiatives.