Experts Warn Against Overuse of Antibiotics in Nigeria’s Industrial Animal Farming

Mounting concerns are trailing Nigeria’s rapid shift toward industrial-scale animal farming, as health and environmental advocates caution against the growing dependence on antibiotics in livestock production. Joyce Brown, Director of Programmes at the Health of Mother Earth Foundation, has urged the federal government to conduct a comprehensive investigation into intensive farming practices, warning that multinational companies may exploit Nigeria’s agricultural sector at the expense of citizens’ health and long-term sustainability. She stressed that excessive use of antibiotics in animals not only poses a direct threat to consumers but could also lead to antibiotic resistance, a silent health crisis with devastating implications.

Source:gazetteng

Billions of dollars in foreign investments have already poured into states such as Benue, Kaduna, Niger, Nasarawa, and Ogun, where vast areas of farmland have been allocated to industrial farming projects. While officials describe these ventures as catalysts for agricultural transformation and rural development, critics insist the costs far outweigh the benefits. Brown noted that smallholder farmers, who have sustained Nigeria’s food supply for generations, are now at risk of being pushed aside. She argued that most of the employment created by foreign companies consists of low-paying menial jobs, while lucrative positions are reserved for outsiders, leaving local communities with little to gain.

The displacement of farmers and pastoralists is also becoming a pressing concern. In Niger State alone, more than 1.2 million hectares of land have been earmarked for industrial animal farming, raising fears that thousands of rural dwellers could lose access to traditional grazing lands and farmlands. Beyond land loss, critics warn that intensive farming practices rely heavily on chemicals and antibiotics, threatening to contaminate rivers and groundwater while undermining the ecological balance of surrounding communities. Brown further emphasized that much of the meat from these large-scale operations is destined for export markets, meaning Nigerians may not even benefit from the food being produced within their own lands.

Adding her voice to the debate, Mariann Bassey Olsson, Deputy Executive Director of Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria, condemned factory farming as a system that jeopardizes biodiversity and animal welfare. She explained that animals are often confined to cramped, unnatural spaces that compromise their health and wellbeing, unlike ranching systems that allow them to graze and roam freely. Olsson also warned that without proper environmental and health impact assessments, Nigeria risks facing a wave of unforeseen crises—from degraded ecosystems and water scarcity to the extinction of native ruminant species.

For many experts, the government’s ambition to attract foreign capital through industrial farming must be balanced against the pressing need to safeguard local communities, protect the environment, and ensure food security. They argue that a failure to properly regulate antibiotic use and factory farming practices could leave Nigeria grappling with severe health risks, deepening rural poverty, and a food system that no longer serves its people.