Pastoralist organisations across Nigeria have expressed appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for establishing the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development, pledging their continued support for the administration’s reforms aimed at transforming the livestock sector.
The organisations made the commitment on Saturday, October 31, 2026, during a One-Day Grand National Thank You Rally organised by a coalition of pastoralist groups.
The event attracted representatives of state governments, livestock farmers, ranchers, processors, marketers, commodity associations and other stakeholders in the livestock value chain.
Speaking at the rally, the Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, described the establishment of the ministry in July 2024 as a historic milestone that had provided dedicated institutional attention to livestock development at the federal level.
He said the creation of the ministry fulfilled a longstanding demand by livestock stakeholders for a dedicated government institution to address the challenges and opportunities in the sector.
“Livestock farmers, pastoralists, ranchers, dairy farmers, livestock traders, dealers, transporters, butchers, processors and marketers, this is your own ministry. Take it, own it and use it to improve your livelihood, build peace, harmony and shared prosperity,” Maiha said.
The minister highlighted ongoing government interventions in veterinary infrastructure, animal disease control, pasture and fodder development, livestock breeding, dairy production and investment promotion.
He disclosed that seven modern veterinary hospitals had been completed, while 14 others were at various stages of development.
Maiha urged livestock associations to strengthen their collaboration with the ministry and state governments by identifying the needs of their members, addressing production and marketing challenges, and presenting practical proposals to improve service delivery.
He also called for greater cooperation among farmers, pastoralists and other stakeholders to prevent farmer-herder conflicts through dialogue, responsible management of land and water resources, and peaceful resolution of disputes.
The Governor of Kaduna State, Senator Uba Sani, represented by the Commissioner for Agriculture and Forestry, Murtala Mohammed Dabo, commended President Tinubu for establishing the ministry and praised Maiha’s efforts towards implementing reforms in the livestock sector.
The governor highlighted several interventions by the Kaduna State Government, including the provision of solar-powered water facilities for pastoralist communities, livestock vaccination programmes, artificial insemination, pasture development and improvements to abattoirs.
He said the establishment of the ministry reflected the Federal Government’s recognition of livestock as an important source of national wealth rather than a cause of conflict.
“Mr President has told us, livestock is not conflict, livestock is wealth. Pastoralists are not a problem; pastoralists are partners,” Sani said.
He expressed appreciation to the President for the initiative, describing it as an important step towards repositioning the livestock industry and creating economic opportunities for Nigerians.
Also speaking, the National President of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Baba Othman Ngelzarma, described the creation of the ministry as the fulfilment of a decades-long demand by pastoralist communities for dedicated institutional attention to livestock development.
Ngelzarma said years of neglect had contributed to persistent challenges in the sector, including farmer-herder tensions, cattle rustling, kidnapping and banditry, which had affected both farming and pastoralist communities.
He maintained that peacebuilding should be a shared responsibility among farmers, pastoralists and government institutions.
“The Ministry was created specifically to address the issue of peacebuilding, and that is what the Minister is doing. Peacebuilding is our concern. It is not only the concern of the farmers; it is also our concern,” he said.
Similarly, the National President of the Miyetti Allah Pulaku Yeso Yeso Development Association (MAFYDA), Alhaji Abubakar Suleiman, commended the minister for his commitment to advancing reforms in the livestock industry.
He described Maiha as a leader committed to repositioning the sector and urged pastoralist communities and other stakeholders to sustain their support for the administration’s initiatives.
The President of the Federation of Agricultural and Commodity Associations of Nigeria, Mr Sherif Balogun, who represents more than 65 commodity associations, also expressed support for the government’s livestock development agenda.
Balogun cited improved productivity and emerging business opportunities for agricultural exporters and processors as reasons for supporting the administration’s reforms.
Other pastoralist representatives at the rally described the establishment of the ministry as the fulfilment of a longstanding aspiration, pledging continued cooperation with the Federal Government.
They called for sustained efforts to protect livestock assets, improve pastoralist livelihoods, address security challenges and expand economic opportunities across the livestock value chain.
The rally ended with a symbolic presentation of a traditional Fulani hat to President Tinubu by the coalition as a gesture of appreciation for establishing the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development.
The Minister of Livestock Development received the traditional gift on behalf of the President.
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