Ikun Dairy Farm Produces 6,000 Litres of Milk Daily as FG Backs Expansion

News in Brief:

— Ikun Dairy Farm in Ekiti State produces more than 6,000 litres of fresh milk daily and has over 700 cattle at its 530-hectare facility.

— The Federal Government is exploring support for the farm’s expansion as Nigeria spends about $1.5bn annually on imported dairy products.

The Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, announced during a visit to the facility in Ikun-Ekiti that the government is exploring support to expand Ikun Dairy Farm, which currently produces more than 6,000 litres of fresh milk daily.

Maiha said Nigeria spends about $1.5 billion annually importing dairy products, stressing the need to support investments that increase domestic production, create jobs and strengthen food security. He added that the government was willing to work with Promasidor Nigeria Limited and the Ekiti State Government to explore opportunities to expand the facility.

Farm Expands Local Dairy Capacity

Ikun Dairy Farm, operated by Promasidor in partnership with the Ekiti State Government, was established in the 1980s. The facility remained underutilised for years before a partnership formalised in 2019 attracted fresh investment, including an initial $5m from Promasidor. The farm now covers more than 530 hectares and houses over 700 cattle, according to its management. 

Yomi Adenson, Promasidor’s Group Chief Financial Officer and Chairman of the farm’s board, said the facility sold more than 160 pregnant heifers to farmers this year to improve access to dairy cattle and expand local production. He said earlier attempts to raise imported cattle had suffered losses because the animals struggled to adapt to local conditions. Sustained breeding has since produced generations better suited to Nigeria’s environment.

The high cost of milk and low local production have limited Nigeria's milk consumption. While the recommended average for milk consumption per person is 210 litres annually, Nigerians consume only 8.7 litres. Low consumption is a health risk that causes stunted growth in children and impacts bone development.