Nigeria is laying the foundation for what could become one of the most significant agricultural transformations in its history, the rise of a competitive, investment-ready, and export-driven feed and fodder economy to power its emerging $74 billion livestock industry.
At the Nigeria Feed and Fodder Partners’ Breakfast Roundtable, held in Abuja, government officials, private sector leaders, development partners, and regional experts delivered one message: Nigeria has the resources, capacity, and momentum to become West Africa’s feed production powerhouse, but only if collaboration translates into action.
Convened by the Nigeria Feed and Fodder Multi-Stakeholder Platform (NFF-MSP), the gathering marked a new phase in the country’s push to fix one of the livestock sector’s most persistent constraints: the lack of affordable, quality feed.
“With feed, there is productivity; without feed, there is no transformation. Nigeria stands at a defining moment. We have the opportunity to break old silos, align stakeholders, and unlock the opportunities before us,” said Professor Maikano Mohammed Ari, president of the NFF-MSP, in his opening remarks.
For an industry where feed accounts for 60–70 percent of production costs, the focus on feed is not merely technical; it is existential.
Across Africa, feed and fodder have remained the silent engine of livestock productivity, quietly determining outcomes while receiving only a fraction of the needed attention and investment.
“This gathering is a powerful statement that Nigeria is ready to elevate the feed and fodder sector to its rightful place. The sector’s relevance to food security, livelihoods, and economic growth cannot be overstated,” said David Maina, Feed and Fodder Business Development Expert with AU-IBAR’s RAFFS Project.
Maina commended Nigeria’s MSP for confronting long-standing challenges, from climate shocks and structural inefficiencies to weak coordination and limited access to financing, while highlighting the immense potential for growth.
Nigeria’s ambition is clear: to build a feed-secure, feed-efficient, and export-capable livestock economy that can compete under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Representing the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development, Mr. Akeem Ibinade delivered a message on behalf of the Permanent Secretary, Dr. (Mrs.) Chinyere Akuiobi, a message signaling strong government commitment to removing long-standing bottlenecks.
“Feed is the single strongest determinant of productivity, profitability, and competitiveness. Where feed fails, livestock cannot succeed,” he said.
The ministry is anchoring its reforms on the National Livestock Growth Acceleration Strategy (NL-GAS), which prioritises sustainable feed and fodder development through ten strategic pillars.
Among the major initiatives revealed are: National Animal Feed and Fodder Policy, which is a new policy framework designed to bridge Nigeria’s significant feed deficit and stimulate year-round commercial feed production; Structured Systems to Replace Open Grazing; the ministry is expanding livestock estates and commercial feedlots, including activities at the Wase Grazing Reserve, to modernise livestock production.
Others are Climate-Smart Forage Revolution, which will see to the promotion of high-yielding forage species such as Brachiaria grass and improved legumes, alongside the release of certified pasture varieties to farmers, the Ministry is also strengthening Data, Research, and Green Economy Initiatives.
Through AU-IBAR’s RAFFS Project, Nigeria is developing a national feed balance and inventory to track availability, identify supply gaps, and support investment decisions. Additionally, programmes that convert cassava peels, rice straw, and maize stover into nutritious feed supplements are advancing a “waste-to-wealth” circular economy, and Digital Future for Livestock Markets, which one of the most ambitious initiatives: the mapping and digitisation of 815 livestock markets nationwide. This will create a digital public infrastructure for feed and livestock trade, enhance traceability, and improve market efficiency.
“These efforts are positioning Nigeria to become West Africa’s Feed Production Capital. But what we need now is alignment, speed, and commitment,” Akuiobi emphasised.
If Nigeria is to deliver on its ambitions, collaboration across sectors and borders must underpin success. Sahel Consulting, a key agricultural development firm, stated this in its goodwill message delivered by Fisayo Kayode.
“Sustainable feed and fodder systems are central to improving livestock productivity and enhancing food security. The opportunities are vast, and with the right collaboration, we can accelerate the growth and competitiveness of the sector,” she said.
Sahel reaffirmed its long-standing commitment to market-driven, evidence-based solutions that can unlock private-sector investment, a crucial ingredient in building a commercially vibrant feed industry.
For the Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support (L-PRES) Project, the gathering also served as a moment to reiterate its growing leadership role in transforming feed systems.
According to Jubabatu Ibrahim, Technical Operations Officer at L-PRES, the project is already scaling modern pasture management technologies, securing international support, and training producers nationwide.
“The L-PRES Project plays a pivotal role in strengthening Nigeria’s feed and fodder systems by enhancing productivity, resilience, and commercialisation,” she said.
Ibrahim urged stakeholders to embrace innovation and collaboration, noting that sustained partnerships can make the livestock sector more competitive while empowering rural communities.
For AU-IBAR’s RAFFS Project, Nigeria’s progress is more than a national achievement, it is a continental signal.
“Nigeria’s MSP has shown that when partnerships align with a clear national vision, the feed and fodder sector can rise to become an engine of economic transformation. We are confident that the milestones you achieve will inspire the rest of Africa,” Maina said.
The RAFFS Project, active in six African countries, sees Nigeria’s model as a template capable of being replicated across the region.
All speakers, from government to development partners, delivered a common message: this must not be another meeting.
The breakfast roundtable is the launchpad for new investment pipelines, policy reforms, commercial partnerships, bankable projects, and the Nigeria Feed & Fodder Deal Room 2.0.
Nigeria has the land, livestock population, human capital, market size, and regional influence to become the feed hub of West Africa. But the transformation hinges on sustained action from both public and private actors.
“Let us think boldly, commit firmly, and act collectively. Nigeria has the capacity to become West Africa’s feed powerhouse, and together, we will deliver it,” Prof. Ari urged.
As the meeting ended, stakeholders agreed that Nigeria’s livestock revolution will rise or fall on the strength of its feed systems.
The country is finally treating feed not as an afterthought but as the engine of competitiveness, food security, and economic growth.
If the commitments made at this roundtable move fully into action, Nigeria may well be on the cusp of a transformation that reshapes its agricultural future and sets a benchmark for the continent. The seeds have been sown. The partnerships are forming. The momentum is building.
Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info).
