By Danjuma Amodu | March 13, 2026
The Federal Ministry of Livestock Development and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) have agreed on concrete actions to strengthen animal health systems, control livestock diseases, and transform Nigeria’s livestock sector. The agreement follows a meeting between Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, and FAO Representative, Dr. Hussein Gadain, in Abuja.
The collaboration will see the FAO provide an emergency Technical Cooperation Programme worth $350,000 to support Nigeria’s response to the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) outbreak. The intervention will support disease containment efforts in 11 affected states and strengthen surveillance, coordination, and response mechanisms.
Minister Maiha emphasized the importance of effective disease control in improving livestock productivity and safeguarding farmers’ livelihoods. He noted that factors such as drought, feed scarcity, and cross-border livestock movement have contributed to the spread of animal diseases.
Dr. Gadain commended the Federal Government’s commitment to developing the livestock sector and reiterated FAO’s readiness to provide technical support. The meeting also reviewed progress on the global campaign to eradicate Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR), a contagious disease affecting sheep and goats.
The agreement includes plans to convene a national technical meeting to review Nigeria’s PPR eradication strategy, assess vaccine production capacity, and explore options for vaccine procurement. Both parties will also accelerate Nigeria’s access to Pandemic Fund financing to strengthen preparedness and response to zoonotic diseases.
Additionally, the meeting agreed to establish a Livestock Donor Working Group, develop a national feed and fodder strategy, and participate in the Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Conference in Abuja.
The FAO Director-General is expected to attend the conference, where President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will be recognised as the African Champion for PPR Eradication.
