How to unlock Nigeria’s billion-dollar dairy industry, by expert

The atmosphere at the NAF Conference Centre in Abuja was electric. The Federal Government officially launched the National Dairy Policy (2023-2028) in Abuja on June 4, 2024, during the World Milk Day celebration. Unveiled by Vice President Kashim Shettima, the policy aims to achieve self-sufficiency in milk production and curb the $1.5 billion annual import […]

The atmosphere at the NAF Conference Centre in Abuja was electric.

The Federal Government officially launched the National Dairy Policy (2023-2028) in Abuja on June 4, 2024, during the World Milk Day celebration.

Unveiled by Vice President Kashim Shettima, the policy aims to achieve self-sufficiency in milk production and curb the $1.5 billion annual import bill, and modernise industry practices.

The event was an eye-opener as the conversation shifted from policy documents to modalities for generating practical wealth.

As Nigeria looks towards advancing the dairy industry, our reporter sought out Dr. Olayinka Tawose, a formidable academic and livestock scientist whose recent research at the Federal University Oye-Ekiti has focused on turning “waste to wealth” through ruminant nutrition.
In an interview, she spoke explicitly and extensively on why the dairy sector is Nigeria’s “hidden goldmine” and provided a strategic roadmap for 2024 and beyond.

The ‘White Gold’ opportunity

Vice President Shettima noted that Nigeria spends $1.5 billion annually on dairy imports.
As such, the country aims to create massive opportunities in the dairy sector.

Dr. Tawose, an astute member of the Nigerian Institute of Animal Science (NIAS), said this worrisome level of imports is a massive opportunity masquerading as a crisis.
Nigeria consumes roughly 1.6 billion litres of milk annually, yet it produces less than 40 per cent of that locally.
According to Dr Tawose, indigenous breeds, such as the Ndama, Kuri, Muturu, White Fulani, Sokoto Gudali, etc., often termed “low-yield” cows, are great “resilient biological assets” waiting for the right scientific and managerial interventions.
“We are sitting on ‘White Gold.’
“If we can bridge the production gap, we aren’t just saving foreign exchange; we are creating a multi-billion Naira rural economy,” she said.

The Wealth Roadmap: How to Achieve It

Dr. Tawose, who is widely regarded as a bridge-builder between complex laboratory data and the gritty reality of the Nigerian farm, was quick to point out that wealth in the dairy sector won’t come from traditional methods alone.
She outlined a five-point plan tailored for the current 2024 economic climate, namely genetics, which she described as the hybrid revolution; nutrition (from waste to milk); the “Cold Chain” and Milk Collection Centres (MCCs); integration of investors and Public-Private Partnership, and backward integration for youth and women.
On genetics, Dr Tawose said: “We cannot achieve industrial wealth with a cow that gives two litres of milk a day.”
She advocated for the aggressive implementation of the National Animal Breeding Policy, focusing on crossbreeding and upgrading local hardy breeds with high-yielding exotics like the Holstein-Friesian.
“The goal is a ‘Super-Cow’, one that survives the Nigerian heat but produces 15 to 20 liters daily.”
She believes the Nigerian goat breeds can also be further explored for milk production, as their milk is known to be nutrient-dense.
On the science of ruminant nutrition, she speaks with conviction: wealth is not merely spent in agriculture; it is often discarded.
Dr Tawose said when crop residues are ignored, value vanishes.
“In 2024, as feed costs remain the foremost constraint in livestock production, the search for affordable, sustainable alternatives is no longer optional; it is imperative.
“Decades of research in animal nutrition consistently demonstrate that treated crop residues, leguminous leaf meals, and other materials commonly dismissed as waste can sustain high-yielding dairy animals at a fraction of the cost of commercial concentrates,” she asserted.
In an innovative study led by Dr. Tawose’s research team, this philosophy takes tangible form in what she describes as a “dual solution” for Nigeria.
The project transforms two environmental burdens – invasive water hyacinth and discarded cassava peels – into nutrient-rich silage for West African Dwarf goats.
Through a carefully controlled anaerobic ensiling process, anti-nutritional factors are neutralised, digestibility is enhanced, and growth performance rivals that achieved with conventional commercial feeds.

The implications extend beyond animal performance.

By repurposing agricultural and aquatic waste, the study empowers smallholder farmers with an economically viable feed alternative while simultaneously clearing obstructed waterways, restoring aquatic ecosystems, and promoting biodiversity.
It is a model of interdisciplinary innovation, where environmental stewardship and livestock productivity converge.

On the “Cold Chain” and Milk Collection Centres (MCCs), Dr Tawose noted: “The greatest tragedy in the Nigerian dairy sector is spoilage.”
She highlighted the 2024 push for solar-powered MCCs, arguing that wealth creation happens when a nomadic herder in a remote village has a guaranteed off-taker.
“If we build the MCCs within a 4km radius of grazing reserves, we formalise the ‘informal’ milk and directly boost the herder’s daily income,” she said.

On backward Integration for youth and women, Dr. Tawose emphasised that the dairy industry is the perfect vehicle for gender-inclusive wealth. She said government and non-governmental agencies can organise programmes and projects that can train thousands of women in hygienic milking and small-scale processing.

“When a woman in Oyo, Kwara, or Kaduna can produce high-quality ‘Wara’ (local cheese) or yoghurt for the urban middle class, the poverty cycle is broken,” she said.
Stressing the need for investments, Dr Tawose said the nation must, as a matter of necessity, promote private- sector investment and public-private partnerships in the dairy sector to enhance the supply of animal protein.
“The government can provide incentives, ready markets, and foster a competitive dairy industry,” she suggested.

The 2024 call to action

The Scholar’s message was a challenge to investors and the government alike.
In a call to action, she said: “Nigeria does not lack the cows; we lack the strategy.
“The National Dairy Policy is the radar, but the engine is science and private investment.
“In 2024, we must move beyond talks and ensure that research enters the feed trough, through self-sufficiency, and eventually towards dairy exports.
“Only then will the ‘White Gold’ flow into the pockets of our people, and the nation’s economy will be greatly improved.”