Minister Woos Private Sector To Tap Livestock, Agric Potential

Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Murkta Maiha, has reiterated the federal government’s commitment to strengthening collaboration with the private sector to unlock the vast potential of Nigeria’s livestock and agricultural sectors.

At the Africa Agriculture Dialogue 2025 held in Abuja, the minister said such partnerships were vital to achieving food security, creating jobs, reducing poverty and driving economic diversification in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

“To unlock the full potential of our agricultural sector, we must improve access to finance, technology and knowledge. This is why our collaboration with the African Development Bank and other stakeholders—including herders and processors—is critical to ensuring inclusive participation across the agricultural value chain,” the minister said.

Maiha said agriculture and particularly the newly established Ministry of Livestock Development, remains central to the administration’s transformation efforts, adding that Nigeria has the capacity to replicate and even surpass global success stories in agricultural productivity.

“Countries like Denmark and Ghana, which are less endowed than Nigeria, have transformed their agricultural sectors. With focus, innovation and strong institutions, there is no reason Nigeria cannot achieve even greater success,” he said.

Maiha underscored the value of the livestock industry, saying every part of an animal meat, dairy, leather and by-products possess economic importance.

“Our task is to build systems that convert these opportunities into sustainable businesses,” he added.

The consul-general of Denmark, Jette Bjerrum, said her country was committed to sharing practical knowledge and risk-mitigation strategies to support Nigeria’s agricultural transformation.

Also, the chairman of the Global Cooperation Promotion Research Centre, Mr Li Zhensheng, announced plans to introduce China’s water conservation technologies to address irrigation challenges and enable year-round farming.

A representative of the African Development Bank Group, Dr Abdul Kamara, assured participants of the Bank’s continued support for agricultural transformation across the continent.

The two-day dialogue, themed “Unlocking Finance for Agricultural Transformation in Africa,” brought together key government officials, private investors, and development partners to chart strategies for strengthening agricultural value chains and improving smallholder farmer productivity.