The federal government said the country was positioning itself to play a key role in global milk supply. The goal is to cut down the $1.5 billion annual milk import and meet the country’s domestic demand of 1.5 million tonnes (about 1.5 billion litres) annually.
Currently, Nigeria produces approximately 700,000 metric tonnes of milk annually compared to 1.6 million metric tonnes consumed, spending over $1.5 billion each year on imports to make up the remaining 60 per cent.
Addressing the 2025 World Milk Day celebration in Abuja two weeks ago, the Minister of Livestock Development, Alhaji Idi Mukhtar Maiha, said this imbalance needed to be addressed strategically within the next five years
“Nigeria is not just trying to catch up with global dairy trends, we are positioning ourselves to lead. Our goal is ambitious but achievable – to double Nigeria’s milk production from 700,000 metric tonnes to 1.4 million metric tonnes annually in the next five years.
“With over 20.9 million cattle, 60 million sheep and 1.4 million goats already in Nigeria, we are not starting from zero, we are building from strength,” the minister said.
This objective, according to Maiha, is doable and essential to the sector’s economic growth and job creation.
“Let me be clear, this is not just about cows. It is about people. It is about jobs, businesses and economic dignity. It is about a child who needs calcium for stronger bones. It is about a young entrepreneur trying to start a yoghurt brand. It is about the trader, the vet, the nutritionist, our foreign reserves, and most importantly, it is about nation building,” he said.
Fodder production is essential for animal production if the industry is to grow. Homesteading and community commercial pasture production are crucial.
Two months ago, the federal government, through the National Animal Production Research Institute, Zaria, had already registered 8 pasture species for the first time in 48 years.
The minister called on Nigerian youths to deploy their technological and innovative ingenuity to drive the sector.
“To the Nigerian youth – our coders, agripreneurs, innovators and content creators – this is your invitation. Whether it is drone-assisted pasture monitoring or mobile vet services, your innovations can drive this sector forward. We need apps for traceability. We need start-ups for cold-chain logistics. We need smart ideas to recycle farm waste into feed. We need digital platforms to connect dairy producers with markets and financiers.
“Innovation is not just welcome here, it is urgently required. And you don’t have to wear boots to be in livestock, you can wear sneakers and still drive change,” he stated.
