SAPZ Chair Urges Stronger Budget for Livestock Development in FCT

News in Brief:

-FCT SAPZ chairman, Suleiman Abdullahi, has urged MDAs to increase budgetary support for livestock development to transform the livestock value chain in the territory.

-Backed by international development partners, it will modernise agricultural processing in Nigeria.

The chairman of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone (SAPZ) Inter-Agency Technical Committee, Comrade Ango Suleiman Abdullahi, has called on Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to allocate more funding to the livestock sector in their 2026 budgets.

Speaking at the FCT SAPZ Inter-Agency Technical Committee meeting in Abuja, Abdullahi, who also serves as the Mandate Secretary of the Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat, emphasised that the livestock value chain requires a collaborative and well-funded approach to achieve meaningful transformation.

“We are requesting that all areas of need related to your agencies be considered a priority in your budgetary provisions,” he said.

Boosting Agricultural Processing and Rural Livelihoods

The programme, backed by the African Development Bank (AfDB), Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), aims to revolutionise agricultural processing in Nigeria.

Under this initiative, selected states and the FCT will host dedicated processing zones equipped with modern infrastructure, logistics, and value-added services to attract agribusiness investments, reduce post-harvest losses, and create jobs across rural communities.

A Key Focus Area for the FCT

In the FCT, the project is specifically focused on livestock development, including production, processing, and marketing. This is significant because, despite the sector’s high economic potential, it remains underfunded and underdeveloped.

A stronger financial commitment, Abdullahi noted, will help smallholder livestock farmers access better facilities, veterinary care, and market linkages, ultimately improving productivity and income.

Coordinated Implementation Across Agencies

The meeting brought together representatives from several MDAs to discuss how to align resources and expertise under a coordinated framework. The Coordinator of FCT SAPZ, Dr Omole Olateju, explained that the technical committee’s primary role is to guide and support the Project Implementation Unit (PIU) in executing project activities.

“The committee reviews and clears the Project’s Annual Work Plan and Budget before forwarding it to the steering committee, chaired by the minister, for final approval,” Olateju noted.

He added that the meeting also reviewed the project’s progress so far, highlighting achievements, challenges, and milestones since the start of the year.

The SAPZ initiative represents a major boost for livestock farmers in and around Abuja. By focusing on value chain integration, the project will help producers move beyond subsistence rearing to commercial-scale production. Farmers can expect improved access to infrastructure such as feed mills, cold storage facilities, abattoirs, and better transport systems, making it easier to get livestock products from farm to market efficiently.