There is an attempt to improve on the capacity of stakeholders in the livestock value chain in Nigeria. This is evident in the collaboration between the Federal Government and the Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL). The initiative is aimed to undertake a Feedlot Management Training Programme. The gains of the initiative will also include attempt to ensure that domestic beef production aligns with international standards.
The programme is part of the recently secured $2.5 billion Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) deal with JBS of Brazil. According to NIRSAL’s Managing Director, Sa’ad Hamidu, “This is not just another training; it is a targeted intervention aimed at creating bankable agribusinesses.”
The training will address structural gaps in the livestock sector and stimulate demand for high-quality feedstock from local livestock producers. The JBS deal involves constructing six ultra-modern meat processing plants across the country.
Shekamang Ayuba, Director of Ranch and Pastoral Resources Development, described the programme as “eye-opening and apt” and called for its rollout across all geopolitical zones. The initiative is expected to create commercially viable and export-oriented agribusinesses in the livestock sector.
