No capital releases since 2024, livestock ministry laments

The Federal Ministry of Livestock Development has raised the alarm over inadequate funding and non-release of capital funds, saying the situation has hampered the implementation of several projects and programmes in the sector.

The Director of Information and Public Relations, Federal Ministry of Livestock Development, Henrietta Okokon, said that the ministry had not received capital releases since 2024.

Okokon said the funding challenge had become a major concern, particularly, as the Federal Government is seeking to develop the livestock sector as a major source of economic growth.

“We’ve been having issues of funding. You know, non-releases. Since 2024, we don’t have capital releases, so we can not carry out some of our projects. It’s hampering a lot of activities and programmes as well.

“It’s been a huge concern. Livestock is now the new goldmine for Nigeria to look into. So, there should be more funding to ensure that activities and programmes are being carried out effectively”, she said.

She, however, said the ministry had continued to implement interventions in different parts of the country despite the funding constraints.

Okokon said the ministry had recently carried out interventions in Delta and Cross River states, adding that 100 heifers were distributed under an intervention in Enugu State, while another 100 heifers were distributed in Delta State.

“We just did some interventions in Delta State. We did some in Cross River. So, we’ve had a lot of interventions, and the one that we had in Enugu, we shed 100 heifers. The one that we had in Delta, we shed 100 heifers”, she said.

She further disclosed that the Federal Government had approved the expansion of its livestock interventions from 18 to 30 states, with all geopolitical zones expected to benefit.

According to her, the expansion will ensure that states in the southern part of the country are also carried along in the development of the livestock sector.

“We are working. You know, initially, there were only 18 states that came on board. But now, I think Mr. President has approved that we make it up to 30 states, including all the geopolitical zones that will be involved in the livestock sector. We are bringing on board an extra 10 states.

“Outside of the north. All the southern states, we are going to carry them along. We have interventions already”, she added.

The development comes amid renewed efforts by the Federal Government to diversify the economy and increase investment in livestock production, with the sector identified as having significant potential to contribute to food security, employment, and economic growth.

The Federal Ministry of Livestock Development was established in July 2024 by President Bola Tinubu, as part of efforts to transform the livestock sector into a sustainable and globally competitive industry.

The ministry’s mandate includes improving livestock productivity, strengthening food security, and driving economic growth through the development of the sector and its value chains.

The funding challenge comes as the Federal Government pursues an ambitious plan to expand the livestock industry. Under the National Livestock Growth Acceleration Strategy, the government is targeting an increase in the sector’s economic contribution from about US$32billion to US$74billion by 2035, with investment in areas including animal health, breeding, feed, pasture, market access and other livestock value chains.

The ministry had also previously told the National Assembly during its 2026 budget defence that it operated with limited fiscal releases in the preceding budget cycle.