FG, 3 dairy farms to establish breeding centre

The Federal Ministry of Livestock Development, in collaboration with a coalition of three dairy companies, has concluded plans to establish a livestock breeding centre in Nigeria. The companies involved are Arla Global Dairy Products Ltd, FrieslandCampina WAMCO Nigeria PLC and Danone, all European firms that have operated in Nigeria for many years. To drive the […]

The Federal Ministry of Livestock Development, in collaboration with a coalition of three dairy companies, has concluded plans to establish a livestock breeding centre in Nigeria.

The companies involved are Arla Global Dairy Products Ltd, FrieslandCampina WAMCO Nigeria PLC and Danone, all European firms that have operated in Nigeria for many years.

To drive the initiative, the ministry has also constituted a technical committee to develop a blueprint for the immediate implementation and operation of the breeding centre in the coming weeks.

Speaking at a high-level meeting with representatives of the companies in Abuja on Tuesday, the Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Muktar Maiha, said the firms had come together under an EU-backed coalition to support the localisation of milk production in Nigeria and help close existing import gaps.

“But in terms of priority, we are now looking at the establishment of a genetic breeding centre in this country. Once that happens, we will begin to propagate superior genes and ensure that we crossbreed our animals to improve their productivity from the current two to three litres per day to a minimum of 15 litres per day.

“That is what we are looking at, and I believe this is the way to go,” the minister said.

Maiha noted that the combined experience of the three companies would be critical to transforming Nigeria’s dairy sector.

“We have these giants. Between them, there is about 407 years of expertise that they are bringing to bear in this country. Remember that all these companies operate individually here.

“It is no longer a question of competition; it is a question of collaboration because Nigeria is a very vibrant market. The ministry is here to work with them hand in hand to ensure that we face the future with courage and change the narrative for the Nigerian livestock sector,” he added.

Speaking on behalf of the coalition, the coordinator, Sanne Steemers, said improving cattle genetics is critical to boosting milk productivity among Nigerian farmers.

“We see genetics, breeding and artificial insemination as the major bottlenecks currently limiting milk productivity. Training alone will not increase yields, and feed alone will not increase yields.

“Genetic improvement is necessary to raise productivity, but at the same time, genetics alone will not achieve that,” she said.

Steemers explained that improved breeding must be supported with proper animal care and management to sustain higher levels of milk production.

“Once we achieve improved breeding, we also need to ensure that the cows are properly taken care of to maintain those productivity levels,” she said.

Arla Global Dairy, FrieslandCampina WAMCO Nigeria PLC and Danone have already piloted several dairy development initiatives in Nigeria, including the establishment of dairy farms and farmer support programmes.

According to Steemers, the coalition decided to work together after realising that collaboration is necessary to build a strong and scalable dairy sector in the country.

“Our goal is to establish a strong and feasible plan that will eventually lead to a self-sufficient dairy sector in Nigeria. Such a sector will provide sustainable livelihoods for farmers and also deliver healthy nutrition to millions of Nigerians,” she said.

She noted that dairy consumption in Nigeria remains among the lowest in the world, contributing to widespread protein deficiency.

“What we all know is that dairy consumption per person in Nigeria is among the lowest globally. This contributes to protein deficiency, meaning that the average Nigerian needs to consume about ten times more dairy than they currently do,” she said.

Steemers added that although Nigeria has a relatively stable level of local dairy production, it is still far below the country’s demand.

“In the past, this gap has been filled largely through the importation of milk powder. But what we want to do now is ensure that milk production is localised so that the country can develop a healthy and sustainable dairy sector,” she said.

She explained that one of the most effective ways to achieve this goal is by increasing the milk output per dairy cow through improved breeding and better farm management practices.

According to the coalition, if Nigeria hopes to provide every citizen with a healthy dairy intake—especially with the population continuing to grow—the country would need to produce almost 25 times the volume of dairy products it currently produces.