Unemployment: Youths Can Earn N14.5m Monthly From Dairy Farming – Commissioner

The Kwara State Commissioner for Livestock Development, Oloruntoyosi Thomas, has said youths can earn as much as N14.5 million monthly through dairy farming if they embrace opportunities in the livestock sector. Thomas said the livestock industry remains one of the most promising sectors capable of tackling unemployment, creating wealth and transforming Nigeria’s economy. She spoke […]

The Kwara State Commissioner for Livestock Development, Oloruntoyosi Thomas, has said youths can earn as much as N14.5 million monthly through dairy farming if they embrace opportunities in the livestock sector.

Thomas said the livestock industry remains one of the most promising sectors capable of tackling unemployment, creating wealth and transforming Nigeria’s economy.

She spoke while delivering a keynote address at the 2026 Press Week of the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Kwara State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Ilorin.

The commissioner urged young people in the state to take advantage of government-backed livestock programmes, insisting that the sector offers enormous opportunities for income generation and entrepreneurship.

According to her, dairy farming has become increasingly profitable due to rising demand for fresh milk and dairy products across the country.

Thomas explained that a farmer with 50 improved dairy cows producing about 15 litres of milk daily could generate nearly N14.6 million monthly.

She said: “Fifty cows producing 15 litres each daily will give about 750 litres. At N650 per litre, that amounts to N487,500 daily and about N14,625,000 monthly.”

The commissioner noted that farmers using local breeds could also increase productivity through artificial insemination and improved breeding programmes introduced by the state government in partnership with livestock firms.

She said a farmer with 10 improved dairy cows could earn close to N3 million monthly from milk production alone.

According to her, the state government is prioritising the dairy value chain as part of efforts to reduce Nigeria’s dependence on imported milk and dairy products.

Thomas said Nigeria consumes about 1.7 million metric tonnes of milk annually but produces only about 600,000 metric tonnes locally, leaving a huge supply gap.

“The remaining 65 per cent is imported and this weakens our economy and limits local industry growth,” she said.

She disclosed that the Kwara State Government, through the Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support Project (LPRES) and the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone (SAPZ), is creating opportunities for investors and livestock farmers.

Thomas said the SAPZ project would provide facilities such as roads, power supply, cold storage units, veterinary clinics, abattoirs and milk processing centres to support commercial livestock production.

She added that multinational dairy companies, including Danone/Fan Milk and FrieslandCampina, are already operating milk collection centres across the state and are ready to purchase more locally produced milk.

“The market has already been created. What we need now is for our youths and farmers to key into the opportunities available,” she said.

The commissioner stressed that livestock farming does not require huge startup capital or university degrees, noting that passion, training and commitment are enough for success in the sector.

“You do not need a degree. You just need experience, training, passion, interest and hunger for success,” she added.

Thomas further declared that there should be “no more excuses for unemployment in Kwara” as government interventions continue to expand opportunities within the livestock value chain.