NIGERIA – Nigerian Minister of State for Agriculture, Sabi Abdullahi, has announced the Federal Government’s plan to implement the National Dairy Policy to save Nigeria US$1.5 billion annually spent on milk importation.
The policy, which Vice President Kashim Shettima will launch on June 4, 2024, aims to enhance dairy farming practices, increase investment in dairy processing and preservation, and promote evidence-based policy implementation.
Key initiatives include fostering public-private partnerships, embracing technology and innovation, empowering women and youth-centric business models, and promoting good animal health practices.
According to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the country spends US$1.5 billion yearly on dairy imports due to a production deficit of nearly 60%.
In addition, Nigeria consumes an average of 1.6 billion liters of milk annually but only produces 600,000 metric tonnes, necessitating substantial imports.
Abdullahi also announced a ‘Renewed Hope Milk Industry’ public awareness campaign to highlight the importance of dairy products for nutrition and health, especially among vulnerable groups like children and pregnant women.
He stressed the urgency of transforming the livestock sector, particularly the dairy value chain, to achieve food and nutrition security.
Abdullahi highlighted the severe acute malnutrition (SAM) affecting an estimated two million children in Nigeria, underscoring the importance of milk consumption for improving nutrition.
“These and many more formed the foundation upon which the National Dairy Policy was developed as the radar for the journey of transformation of this industry in Nigeria over the next years,” Abdullahi stated.
He assured that the President is committed to reversing the negative state of the dairy industry and that the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security is ready to tackle the challenges to renew the hope of dairy value chain actors.
Muhammadu Abubakar, President of the Commercial Dairy Ranchers Association of Nigeria (CODARAN), also expressed optimism about the policy’s potential to drive wealth creation and nutrition security.
He urged industry players to affirm their commitment and increase investments in backward integration to enhance the Nigerian dairy industry’s transformation.
Previously, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, in collaboration with Sahel Consulting through the Advancing Local Dairy Development in Nigeria (ALDDN) program, had drawn stakeholders to review and provide recommendations for the policy.
Concerns had been raised about the sector’s over 60% reliance on imported dairy products, prompting the need for a robust dairy policy to unlock its potential.
In February 2023, Nigeria signed a five-year agreement with European dairy cooperative Arla Foods to develop the local dairy sector.
The agreement focused on cooperative business structures among nomadic herders, training opportunities, sustainability, employment generation, and improved living conditions for dairy farmers.
The ministry obtained Federal Executive Council (FEC) approval for the draft National Dairy Policy, which aims to regulate the Nigerian dairy industry and increase local production and marketing of dairy products, thereby reducing importation costs and bolstering national food security.
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