FAO, FG Launch $350,000 for Avian Flu Control in Nigeria

News in Brief:

—FAO and the Federal Government have launched a $350,000 initiative to improve surveillance, diagnosis, and biosecurity measures against avian influenza in Nigeria.

—The project comes as Nigeria records new H5N1 outbreaks and faces growing concerns over emerging avian influenza virus variants in West Africa.

The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), in partnership with the Federal Government of Nigeria, has launched a new emergency intervention programme to strengthen the country's response to avian influenza and protect the poultry industry from the growing threat of the disease.

The initiative, titled Emergency Support for the Prevention and Control of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), is designed to improve disease surveillance, diagnostic capacity, biosecurity measures, and risk communication systems across the poultry sector.

According to the international organisation, the programme adopts a One Health approach that recognises the connections between animal, human, and environmental health.

It noted that more than 40 million households in Nigeria depend on livestock for their livelihoods, making the control of avian influenza critical to food security, income generation, and public health.

The project has received an initial funding allocation of $350,000 to support implementation activities across the country.

Focus on Surveillance and Biosecurity

FAO stated that the intervention will prioritise early disease detection and strengthen laboratory diagnostic systems to improve the country's capacity to respond rapidly to outbreaks.

The programme will also support enhanced biosecurity practices on poultry farms and at live bird markets while improving the flow of disease information to farmers and other stakeholders within the poultry value chain.

As part of the first phase of implementation, additional personnel will be trained to strengthen outbreak preparedness and emergency response capacity.

Government Rules Out Vaccination

Speaking at the launch of the initiative, the Minister of Livestock Development said the project would focus on surveillance, prevention, and biosecurity measures as primary tools for controlling the spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza.

The minister noted that Nigeria would not consider a national vaccination policy against avian influenza until there is sufficient scientific evidence demonstrating its effectiveness.

New Outbreaks Reported in Bauchi

The launch comes amid fresh outbreaks of avian influenza in Nigeria's poultry sector.

Recent reports submitted to the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) confirmed two outbreaks linked to the H5N1 virus strain in Bauchi State, affecting approximately 12,400 birds.

The outbreaks, which began at the end of March, add to the country's cumulative total of 505 confirmed avian influenza outbreaks since December 2020.

Over the same period, nearly 2.56 million poultry birds have been directly affected by the disease nationwide.

Eleven Outbreaks Recorded in 2026

Nigeria has recorded 11 confirmed H5N1 outbreaks in poultry flocks since the beginning of 2026.

According to available data, the affected flocks include nine commercial poultry farms and two smaller 'backyard' operations.

Apart from Bauchi State, outbreaks have also been reported in Kano, Katsina, and Plateau states in recent months, highlighting the continued spread of the disease across northern Nigeria.

FAO has also raised concerns over the emergence of new avian influenza virus variants circulating in West Africa. The organisation disclosed that a new reassortment of the H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b virus, identified as the EA-2024-DV genotype, has been detected in Nigeria, Ghana, and Togo.

According to FAO, unlike previous strains introduced into West Africa from Europe, this newly identified genotype has not been isolated in Europe, suggesting a potentially different transmission pathway.

The agency also reported that another genotype currently circulating in Europe, known as EA-2024-DI, has been detected in South Africa.

Enhanced Monitoring Recommended

In response to the evolving disease threat, FAO is urging countries across Africa to strengthen biosecurity systems and expand surveillance activities covering both domestic poultry and wild bird populations.

The organisation stressed that improved monitoring, early warning systems, and rapid response mechanisms remain essential to reducing the impact of avian influenza on poultry production, food security, and public health across the continent.