Ogun Alerts FG as Swine Fever Outbreak Costs Farmers ₦5bn

News in Brief:

— Pig farmers in Ogun State reported losses of over ₦5bn as mortality rises to tens of thousands due to African Swine Fever.

— The State Government says it is currently waiting for a response from the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development.

Pig farmers in the Ikangba/Agoro axis of Odogbolu LGA, Ogun State, reported losses exceeding ₦5bn due to an outbreak of African Swine Fever (ASF). The producers appealed through a demonstration organised in collaboration with the Food and Farmers’ Rights Campaign in Ikangba Town.

More than 2,000 members have been affected, reportedly losing tens of thousands of pigs. The virus is so widespread that over 99 per cent of pig farms in the area have closed. They claimed that the losses have extended beyond livestock to infrastructure, feed supplies, borrowed capital and employment.

Farmers Face Mounting Debts, Loss of Livelihoods

John Eko, national coordinator of the Food and Farmers’ Rights Campaign, described the incident as the third major ASF outbreak within a decade.

“For several weeks running, we pig farmers within the Ikangba/Agoro axis in Odogbolu Local Government, numbering over 2,000, have lost tens of thousands of pigs worth over ₦5 billion, and the losses are still counting,” Eko said.

He added that the impact had spread to farm workers who had lost their jobs, while some farmers were struggling to meet their families’ basic needs. Individual accounts illustrate the scale of the losses. Folorunsho Ayodele said he had lost pigs worth more than ₦18 million, while a neighbour suffered losses exceeding ₦30 million.

“The outbreak began about two months ago, and over 2,000 farmers have lost their animals to this cruel disease. I personally lost over ₦18 million; my pen houses are now empty,” Ayodele said. He added that many farmers had borrowed money to finance their operations, leaving them exposed to debt after the outbreak wiped out their livestock.

Ogun Alerts Federal Government, Awaits Support

The Ogun State Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Bolu Owotomo, said the state government had reported the outbreak to the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development and was awaiting a response on possible intervention and support.

He also advised farmers to strengthen biosecurity, restrict pig movements, disinfect facilities and equipment, and avoid moving pigs or pork products from suspected infected premises until veterinary authorities provide guidance.

Affected producers are calling for financial and material assistance, including compensation, agricultural production subsidies, low-interest loans, quality breeding stock, animal feed and disease-control supplies. They have also requested relief materials for households whose livelihoods have been affected.