Underfunding, Weak Systems Threatening Nigeria’s Food, Health Security — Association

The Nigerian Veterinary Medical Association (NVMA) has warned that persistent underfunding, weak institutional frameworks and poor policy implementation are placing Nigeria’s food systems, public health and environmental stability at risk.

The warning came as Nigeria joined the global community to mark World Veterinary Day 2026.

Under the theme “Veterinarians: Guardians of Food and Health,” the association said veterinary professionals remain central to safeguarding the nation’s health architecture but continue to receive inadequate recognition in national planning and resource allocation.

In a statement signed by its national president, Dr Moses Arokoyo, the NVMA described veterinarians as critical actors across the entire food value chain, from livestock production and disease prevention to meat inspection, laboratory diagnostics and policy advisory roles. It noted that despite their wide-ranging responsibilities, the profession is often overlooked in decision-making processes.

The association said growing threats such as climate change, antimicrobial resistance and emerging infectious diseases have blurred the lines between animal, human and environmental health, reinforcing the importance of the One Health approach.

It added that veterinarians now play an increasingly strategic role in outbreak containment, vaccination programmes and surveillance systems aimed at preventing pandemics.

Arokoyo raised concerns over the absence of reliable data to capture the economic value of Nigeria’s livestock sector, calling for an urgent livestock census.

He said the lack of documentation of key interventions, including outbreak responses and vaccination outcomes, continues to weaken the profession’s visibility in policy and funding considerations.

The NVMA also decried fragmentation across health and food systems, urging stronger integration of veterinary services into national emergency response frameworks and policy coordination platforms. It stressed that effective public health security depends on collaboration across sectors and levels of government.

He said, “From farm to fork, from laboratory to legislation, the veterinary profession underpins the safety, security and sustainability of food systems while standing as the first line of defence against zoonotic disease threats.

If it wasn’t measured, it didn’t happen. Surveillance and reporting should not be viewed as mere bureaucratic requirements, but as a vital form of advocacy that demonstrates impact.”

“Together everyone achieves more. Effective public health security and food safety depend on coordinated action across all levels of governance and interdisciplinary collaboration.

“Employ us to safeguard Nigerians, employ us to do our job. Shared environment is shared risks. Let today be more than a commemoration, let it be a recommitment to excellence and to One Health.”