The Ekiti State Government has unveiled plans to establish a Commercial Goat Farming Hub as part of its ongoing efforts to boost food security, job creation, and economic diversification.
The initiative, which falls under the Livestock Productivity and Resilience Enhancement Project (L-PRES), is aimed at strengthening the state’s livestock value chain, particularly in sheep and goat production. The government said the hub will serve as a commercial centre for breeding, processing, and marketing goats, while also providing access to modern technology, training, and financing for farmers.
Speaking on the project, officials explained that the hub will operate across the 16 Local Government Areas of the state and is expected to empower thousands of smallholder farmers while creating direct and indirect jobs in goat rearing, meat processing, leatherworks, and related enterprises.
The establishment of the goat farming hub is also linked to the World Bank-supported agribusiness hub recently approved for Ekiti, which will provide infrastructure such as modern slaughterhouses, cold storage facilities, and waste-to-energy systems.
Governor Biodun Oyebanji’s administration said the project aligns with its broader vision to transform Ekiti into a livestock and agribusiness hub in Nigeria, targeting at least 200,000 farmers and generating over 1.5 million jobs through livestock-focused programmes.
Analysts believe the move could position Ekiti as a major player in Nigeria’s goat and sheep market, while also boosting exports and reducing dependence on imports in the livestock sector.
