Nigeria, Denmark Sign Phase II Livestock Cooperation Agreement

News in Brief:

—Nigeria and Denmark have signed Phase II of their Strategic Sector Cooperation Programme to advance livestock development, food safety and animal health.

—The partnership will focus on field-level implementation, disease prevention, biosecurity, surveillance systems and direct support for livestock value chains.

The Federal Government of Nigeria and the Kingdom of Denmark have signed a new Letter of Intent (LoI) to strengthen cooperation on sustainable livestock development, food safety, animal health and agricultural innovation.

The agreement marks the commencement of Phase II of the Strategic Sector Cooperation (SSC) Programme in Livestock Production between the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development and the Danish Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries.

The initiative is expected to support livestock transformation, improve food and nutrition security, strengthen disease prevention systems and enhance the competitiveness of Nigeria’s livestock sector.

Partnership Builds on Earlier Successes

Speaking during the signing ceremony, Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, described the agreement as a renewed commitment to delivering practical benefits for livestock producers, processors, regulators and consumers.

According to the minister, the partnership has already recorded significant achievements, including training more than 100 Nigerian officials in areas such as food and feed safety management, animal disease surveillance, antimicrobial resistance control, climate adaptation strategies, and veterinary regulation.

Maiha also announced a joint antimicrobial resistance pilot programme in Oyo and Kano states as one of the outcomes of the collaboration.

Focus Shifts to Implementation

Danish Ambassador to Nigeria, Jens Ole Bach Hansen, said the second phase of the programme will move beyond institutional capacity building and focus more on practical implementation.

Key priority areas include disease prevention and control, biosecurity enhancement, livestock surveillance systems, farmer support programmes, and livestock value chain development

The ambassador noted that the objective is to translate technical cooperation into measurable improvements across Nigeria’s livestock sector.

Representatives of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) also reaffirmed their commitment to the partnership. Director of Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, Eva Edwards, said collaboration would focus on feed management systems, food safety standards, product traceability, veterinary drug regulation, and data sharing and monitoring.

The measures are expected to strengthen food safety systems and improve consumer confidence in livestock products.

Strengthening Livestock Competitiveness

Representing the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration, Project Manager Alex Sigersen commended Nigerian institutions for their commitment to the programme.

He expressed confidence that the next phase would deliver tangible benefits for farmers, rural communities and the wider livestock industry through stronger disease management systems, improved production standards and enhanced regulatory frameworks.

Senior officials from the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development, NAFDAC, the Danish Embassy and the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration attended the ceremony.