FG Seeks AfDB Support to Empower Youth and Women in Livestock Industry

Nigeria is pushing to transform its livestock sector by placing youth and women at the center of a bold new financing strategy. At a high-level policy dialogue in Abuja, Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, urged the African Development Bank (AfDB) to partner with the Federal Government in scaling inclusive financing for emerging agribusiness players across rural Nigeria. The dialogue, themed “Bridging the Gap: Access to Finance and Empowering Youth and Women for Agribusiness Success,” marked a strategic step toward building a more inclusive, modern agricultural economy.

Source: Nigeria Farming Magazine

While acknowledging AfDB’s support through initiatives like I-DICE and the Nigerian Youth Entrepreneurship Investment Bank, Maiha stressed that millions of rural Nigerians remain locked out of the formal financial system. Despite recent gains in financial inclusion—rising from 56% in 2020 to 64% in 2023—roughly 28.8 million adults, mostly rural dwellers, are still excluded. For many of them, barriers such as poor infrastructure, low fintech access, and deep-rooted socio-cultural challenges continue to block entry into mainstream economic participation.

The Minister warned that without targeted interventions, the livestock sector will struggle to reach its full potential. He spotlighted the Nigeria Livestock Growth Acceleration Strategy (NL-GAS), a ten-pillar roadmap aiming to grow the sector’s value from $33 billion to $74 billion in five years. Among its key pillars are Finance & Insurance, and Women & Youth Empowerment—both of which present powerful entry points for AfDB’s collaboration.

Through the Women and Youth Initiative, 37,000 beneficiaries across Nigeria are expected to receive livestock, production kits, training, and financial tools to build resilient agribusinesses. The program also provides support for market access, veterinary services, and skills in processing and product marketing—ensuring that participants are equipped not just to survive, but to thrive.

Maiha emphasized that empowering rural women and youth will deliver a triple impact: improving household income, enhancing national food security, and reducing rural-urban migration. By enabling inclusive access to finance, he argued, Nigeria can create a new generation of livestock entrepreneurs ready to drive productivity and innovation in one of the country’s most valuable sectors.

Participants at the policy dialogue were challenged to design practical pathways that bring underserved groups—like milkmaids, herders, and petty traders—into structured financial systems. For Maiha, achieving this goal isn’t just about numbers; it’s about unlocking human potential and laying the groundwork for sustainable national development.

As the call for deeper collaboration resonates, the livestock sector now stands on the brink of transformation—one driven by local talent, fueled by inclusive finance, and powered by strategic partnerships.