International markets, including Arab Republic of Egypt and Denmark, have expressed interest in partnering with the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development to drive transformation.
This was revealed in a statement signed by Ben Bem Goong, director, Information and Public Relations of the Federal ministry of livestock development (FMLD), shared with BusinessDay on Monday.
The statement said that Mohamed Fouad, Egyptian ambassador to Nigeria, highlighted his country’s readiness to collaborate with Nigeria in modernising the livestock sector,
It noted that the ambassador, while congratulating Idi Muktar Maiha, pioneer minister of the FMLD, said the proposed partnership aims to leverage Egypt’s expertise to advance key areas such as breeding, feed production, and animal health.
In a related development, Jens Ole Bach Hansen, Danish ambassador to Nigeria, led a high-level delegation, including chief executives of Danish leading livestock companies operating in Nigeria, on a working visit to the ministry.
He commended the foresight of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in establishing the ministry.
He said, “The creation of the Ministry is indicative of a deep understanding of the needs of Nigeria and the strategic vision to address them.”
Speaking on the occasion of the working visit and after an elaborate presentation, Peder Pederson, managing director of Arla Foods, said, “Nigeria’s huge market of over 200 million people, offers a rare opportunity for investment in the diary subsector, pointing out that Arla has been in Nigeria for so many years, contributing to its agricultural development”
The managing director requested that diary products such as milk should be incorporated in Nigeria’s School Feeding Programme.
The ambassador extended an invitation to the minister and his team to visit Denmark for a firsthand experience of the country’s advanced livestock systems, promising to “organise a great visit” for the minister.
In his response,Idi Mukhtar Maiha, Nigeria’s minister of livestock development, expressed Nigeria’s openness to collaborations that would unbundle, diversify, and improve the livestock sector’s capacity to meet local and international demands.
The minister outlined the ministry’s priorities, including establishing advanced laboratories to enhance indigenous breeds and achieve sufficiency in the cultivation of feed and fodder.
“We are eager to partner on initiatives that will modernise Nigeria’s livestock industry,” adding that, “Exchange programs and capacity-building initiatives will play a vital role in equipping staff to deliver on the Ministry’s mandate.”
The minister stressed that the creation of the livestock ministry by President Bola Tinubu is a strong signal of the clear intent of the Nigerian government to reposition the sector as a key driver of national development and an attractive destination for foreign investment.
Join BusinessDay whatsapp Channel, to stay up to date
Open In Whatsapp
