FG Reaffirms Women as Drivers of Nigeria’s Livestock Transformation

Women are taking center stage in Nigeria’s livestock revolution, according to the Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, who highlighted their impact at a high-level breakfast meeting in Abuja. He described women as the backbone of the sector and essential to the success of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

Source: businessday

Maiha explained that national reforms now prioritise women’s participation in livestock enterprises, opening doors for business ownership, leadership and greater visibility across value chains. He also applauded First Lady Oluremi Tinubu for championing women’s empowerment and pushing for stronger institutional support.

The minister assured industry leaders and development partners that the government is committed to working closely with groups such as AWARFA-N to expand opportunities in key value chains like dairy, poultry, goats and honey. He emphasised that women are not operating from the sidelines but are driving market growth and household economic stability.

Permanent Secretary Chinyere Ijeoma Akujobi echoed the message, noting that women shape food production, family nutrition and market systems nationwide. She revealed that the National Livestock Growth and Acceleration Strategy places women and youth at its core, and announced the forthcoming Presidential Youth and Women Initiatives in Livestock, expected to generate thousands of jobs across all 774 LGAs.

AWARFA-N’s president, Victoria Madedor, presented the organisation’s five-year strategic plan, which seeks to position it as the leading platform for female investors and entrepreneurs in livestock and animal resources. The blueprint focuses on capacity building, finance, value-chain expansion, technology and advocacy.

Delivering a goodwill message, Sarah Ossiya of AU-IBAR stressed that stronger inclusion of women is essential for Africa’s food and economic security. She warned that undernutrition costs the continent nearly ten percent of its GDP and argued that improving animal nutrition—and the systems behind it—remains key to empowering women and strengthening national resilience.