Nigeria has called on ECOWAS member states and Sahel countries to strengthen regional cooperation in transforming the livestock sector, emphasizing the need for a competitive and harmonized animal-feed industry.
The appeal came during a two-day regional workshop in Abuja, organized by ECOWAS’s Regional Agency for Agriculture and Food (ARAA) in partnership with Nigeria’s Ministry of Livestock Development. Policymakers, experts, and development partners discussed challenges such as rising feed costs, poor feed quality, and weak regulatory frameworks.
Nigeria’s Ministry of Livestock Development emphasized that animal feed is “the backbone of sustainable livestock production” and stressed the importance of coordinated policies to support producers across the region.
A follow-up ECOWAS policy dialogue highlighted findings from the EU- and AECID-supported PRISMA project, which provides evidence on improving feed safety, livestock traceability, and resilience to climate shocks.
The livestock sector contributes around US$32 billion to Nigeria’s GDP. Under the national 2025–2030 strategy, the country aims to more than double this figure, a goal that requires deeper regional integration, stronger value chains, and the sharing of innovations.
ECOWAS officials echoed Nigeria’s call, noting that a unified approach will boost food security, reduce reliance on imported feed inputs, and make livestock systems more resilient across West Africa and the Sahel. Visit www.jocomms.com for more news.
