The National Economic Council (NEC), chaired by Vice President Senator Kashim Shettima, has established a Committee on Livestock Development to accelerate reforms in Nigeria’s livestock sector. The move aims to strengthen food security, modernise livestock production, and address the persistent farmer–herder crisis.

The committee is chaired by the Governor of Kebbi State and includes representatives from the six geo-political zones: Bauchi, Niger, Ondo, Imo, Cross River, and Kebbi States, as well as the Ministers of Livestock Development, Agriculture and Food Security, Budget and Economic Planning, and the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Agribusiness. Its mandate is to review recommendations from the Presidential Livestock Reform Committee (PLRC) and the Ministry of Livestock Development, identify willing states, and coordinate stakeholders for effective nationwide implementation.

Vice President Shettima emphasised that food security is a moral obligation that requires practical and nationally accepted solutions to the farmer–herder crisis. The initiative follows a directive from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, to develop a roadmap for transforming Nigeria’s livestock industry into a modern, peaceful, and profitable sector, creating opportunities for economic growth and restoring confidence in rural communities.