FG Inaugurates Technical Working Group to Tackle Newcastle Disease

News in brief:

— Nigeria's livestock ministry and GALVmed have inaugurated a National Technical Working Group to develop Nigeria's first strategy for controlling Newcastle disease.

— The strategy will focus on surveillance, vaccination, biosecurity, rapid response and farmer training to reduce poultry losses and strengthen food security.

The Federal Ministry of Livestock Development, in collaboration with the Global Alliance for Livestock Veterinary Medicines (GALVmed), has inaugurated a National Technical Working Group to develop a coordinated strategy for controlling Newcastle disease in Nigeria.

The initiative is expected to boost poultry health, reduce economic losses, and protect the livelihoods of poultry farmers. The inauguration took place in Abuja on Tuesday, August 4, 2026, with government officials, veterinary organisations, research institutions, development partners and private sector representatives participating in the process.

Strategy to Coordinate Disease Control Efforts

The Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development, Dr Chinyere Ijeoma Akujobi, described the initiative as the first coordinated national effort to tackle Newcastle disease through a structured and evidence-based framework.

Represented by the Director of the Project Coordination Unit, Dr Adedoyin Adeniyi, Akujobi said Newcastle disease remains one of the most damaging viral diseases affecting poultry production in Nigeria.

She revealed that the disease causes significant economic losses, reduces farmers' incomes, threatens food security and constrains the growth of the poultry industry.

According to her, the Technical Working Group will develop a National Newcastle Disease Strategic Plan covering prevention, surveillance, vaccination, biosecurity, rapid response and long-term disease control.

She said previous interventions had suffered from poor coordination because Nigeria lacked a national strategic framework, resulting in duplication of activities and inefficient use of resources.

Focus on Vaccination and Biosecurity

Akujobi stressed that Newcastle disease is a transboundary animal disease but is not zoonotic, meaning it does not naturally spread from animals to humans.

She called for stronger cross-border collaboration, improved disease surveillance and enhanced veterinary services, alongside closer coordination between federal and state governments, development partners and private sector operators.

The Permanent Secretary also highlighted Nigeria's ability to produce Newcastle disease vaccines locally through the National Veterinary Research Institute (NVRI).

She said the proposed strategy would prioritise training personnel involved in last-mile vaccine delivery, building farmers' capacity to detect and report disease and promoting stronger biosecurity practices on poultry farms.

Village Poultry Central to Food Security

The Director and Head of Animal Health and Reproductive Services, Dr Mitchell Alao, described the workshop as an important development for Nigeria's animal health sector.

He said the strategic plan would provide a common framework through which government agencies, development partners, research institutions and private sector stakeholders could coordinate interventions, allocate resources effectively and measure progress against targets.

In a presentation on the control of Newcastle disease in village chickens, Dr Yakubu Yanet Ago, the Chief Veterinary Officer and National Programme Coordinator for African Swine Fever, highlighted the importance of village poultry to rural livelihoods.

Ago said village chickens contribute to household nutrition, food security and income, particularly for rural women and vulnerable households.

He disclosed that Nigeria has an estimated 640 million poultry birds and noted that village chickens remain an important source of affordable animal protein and income for millions of Nigerians.

Government Seeks Stronger Partnerships

The Federal Ministry of Livestock Development declared that it would continue working with organisations such as ECOWAS, the African Union Inter-African Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR), NEPAD and the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) to strengthen animal disease control.

During the inauguration, GALVmed and representatives of the Nigerian Association of Animal Health and Husbandry Technologists, NVRI and the Nigeria Veterinary Medical Association pledged continued support for efforts to control Newcastle disease.

Participants at the workshop included representatives from government institutions, research organisations, development partners and private sector organisations, including Ikore International Limited and ABUVETS.

The Technical Working Group is expected to translate the discussions into a practical and implementable national strategy to improve disease prevention and reduce the impact of Newcastle disease on Nigeria's poultry industry.