The Federal Government has established a new Technical Sub-Committee under the National Economic Council (NEC) to accelerate the development of Nigeria’s livestock sector, with a focus on boosting economic growth, enhancing food security and promoting national cohesion.
The Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, announced the move on Thursday during the inaugural meeting of the sub-committee at the ministry’s headquarters in Abuja.
Bagudu said the technical team was created to harmonise existing policies, studies and recommendations on livestock development and convert them into a clear, practical implementation roadmap that the NEC can approve and execute without delay.
According to him, the NEC had earlier constituted a high-level committee on livestock development, chaired by Kebbi State Governor Nasir Idris, and comprising governors from the six geopolitical zones, key federal ministers and the co-chair of the Presidential Committee on Livestock Development.
However, he explained that the demanding schedules of state governors and the urgency of reform made it necessary to establish a smaller, more agile technical team to carry out the detailed groundwork and fast-track decision-making.
“Our task is not to reinvent the wheel. A considerable body of work already exists. What is required now is to distil these reports into a clear, practical implementation roadmap that the National Economic Council can adopt without delay,” Bagudu said.
The minister underscored President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s personal commitment to livestock development, describing it as part of a broader shift in how Nigeria approaches agriculture, food production and economic expansion.
He said the President views livestock as a major economic driver rather than a marginal agricultural activity, noting that Tinubu’s decision to personally chair the Presidential Committee on Livestock Development reflects this priority.
“Mr. President has consistently said that livestock is not a marginal activity but a central economic driver for food security, agricultural productivity and inclusive growth,” Bagudu stated.
Bagudu also pointed to the creation of a separate Ministry of Livestock Development as evidence of the administration’s resolve to reposition the sector as a key pillar of the national economy.
He explained that the initiative aligns with Nigeria’s federal structure, where responsibility for agriculture and food security is shared among federal, state and local governments.
“Livestock development requires collaboration across all tiers of government. This ministry serves as the coordinating platform to ensure that national plans, budgets and programmes are aligned and implemented collaboratively rather than in isolation,” he said.
The minister highlighted several funding and support programmes available to states and communities, including the World Bank-supported Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support (L-PRES) project, NG-CARES, the Nigeria for Women Programme and the Renewed Hope Ward-Based Development Plan.
He said the ward-based initiative is designed to identify and support economic and business opportunities in all 8,809 wards across the country.
Bagudu urged state commissioners to take ownership of the process, noting that once the NEC endorses the committee’s recommendations, it would be easier for states and local governments to mobilise resources.
He added that a stable and coherent policy framework would also attract development partners, impact investors and private sector players by reducing risk and building confidence in the livestock value chain.
Addressing recurring tensions associated with livestock production in parts of the country, Bagudu said the work of the technical sub-committee should help reposition the sector as a source of shared prosperity rather than conflict.
Also speaking, Dr. Sampson Ebimaro, who oversees the Office of the Permanent Secretary at the ministry, described the meeting as a critical step in advancing the Tinubu administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
He noted that food security is closely linked to economic growth and national development, adding that the ministry remains committed to coordinating efforts across sectors and levels of government to deliver sustainable outcomes.
The meeting drew key stakeholders in agriculture, planning and livestock development, including Senator Bagudu, Dr. Ebimaro, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Agribusiness, Mr. Kingsley Uzoma, and commissioners for budget and planning from Cross River, Kebbi and Niger states.
Others in attendance were officials of the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, representatives of the L-PRES project, livestock policy experts, private sector leaders and the Minister of Livestock Development, Alhaji Idi Maiha.
With the technical sub-committee now in place, the Federal Government says the next step is to convert years of research, policies and reports into a coordinated action plan aimed at modernising livestock production, improving the livelihoods of farmers and herders, and supporting Nigeria’s broader goals of economic growth and national stability.