Nigeria to Double National Herd Size with Ambitious 10-Year Livestock Growth Plan

News in Brief

• -Nigeria's Federal Government has launched NL-GAS, a 10-year livestock growth strategy targeting a doubling of herd size and sector output by 2035 through public-private partnerships.
• -The plan includes expanding focus beyond cattle, developing grazing reserves, empowering youth and women, and enhancing livestock value chains to promote food security and economic growth.

The Federal Government of Nigeria is set to double the national herd size and increase livestock sector output by at least 100% by 2035 with a newly launched National Livestock Growth and Advancement Strategy (NL-GAS).

The two-phased 10-year plan is designed to transform the livestock sector into a major contributor to food security and economic growth. 

Presented by the Minister of Livestock Development, Alhaji Idi Mukhtar Maiha, at the Economic Management Team (EMT) meeting, the NL-GAS emphasises robust collaboration between the public and private sectors to achieve its goals.

The Coordinating Minister of the Economy and Minister of Finance, Wale Edun, affirmed that NL-GAS aligns with the federal government’s broader economic reform agenda.

“Initiatives such as NL-GAS align with our reform agenda and demonstrate the government’s commitment to unlocking investment and enhancing food security,” Edun said. “The objective is to lay a foundation for sustainable, private-sector-led growth that will deliver long-term benefits to Nigerians.”

 He highlighted the government’s commitment to attracting investment, reducing dependence on food imports, and fostering sustainable, private-sector-led growth that benefits Nigerians.

The launch took place amid a broader review of Nigeria’s economic performance by the EMT, which noted positive signs such as a fifth consecutive month of easing inflation, now at 20%, GDP growth of over 3%, and a merchandise trade surplus of ₦7.4 trillion in Q2 2025. These indicators reflect the impact of disciplined reforms and a competitive exchange rate policy

What you should know about the NL-GAS

In a previous interview granted to the NTA, Minister Idi Maiha explained that the National Livestock Growth Acceleration Strategy (NL-GAS) inherited principles and plans of the Ruga Policy, the National Livestock Transformation Plan (NLTP) and findings from the report of the Jega Presidential Committee on livestock reforms, which led to the creation of the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development.

By consolidating these plans, the NL-GAS focuses on critical pillars of the livestock sector, such as feed and fodder development, livestock value chain transformation, breed improvement, animal health, youth and women empowerment, and access to finance. 

It moves beyond the "cattle-centric" focus of Ruga and the NLTP to address the entire livestock sector, including all "farmable animals" from micro-livestock like bees and rabbits to pigs, sheep, goats, camels, donkeys, and horses.

According to the Minister, the strategy seeks to grow the sector from its current value of $32 billion to $74 billion by 2035, while doubling the national livestock herd.

The implementation of NL-GAS is multifaceted, focusing on infrastructure development, conflict resolution, and collaboration. Through strategic partnership and cooperation with stakeholders, the initiative will explore a permanent, non-kinetic solution to the farmer-herder crisis and the development of the 417 gazetted grazing reserves across the country to end open grazing. The strategy also involves engaging subnational governments and private investors to develop the livestock farming value chains.