Kogi Moves to Expand Livestock Infrastructure with New Projects

The Kogi State Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support Project has begun the process of selecting contractors for several livestock development projects across the state.

Bids were opened for the construction of three Livestock Improvement Breeding Centres, three modern slaughterhouses, and the rehabilitation and upgrade of eight wet markets.

The exercise took place on Thursday in Lokoja and was conducted by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Livestock Development, Dr. Abdulsalam Hadi. He said the projects are expected to improve livestock productivity, strengthen food safety standards, and support farmers and other actors in the value chain.

Dr. Hadi also urged bidders to maintain professionalism and transparency throughout the procurement process, stressing the need for fairness and accountability.

State Project Coordinator, Abdulkabir Otaru, said the initiative is part of ongoing efforts to provide infrastructure for livestock value chain clusters and improve the livestock sector in Kogi State.

He noted that the state is already constructing nine livestock markets and has awarded contracts for a livestock service centre and five slaughterhouses, with work currently in progress.

Otaru added that the new projects will help create jobs for women and youths, while also improving livelihoods and income for livestock farmers.

He explained that the programme is part of a six-year initiative supported by the World Bank, with the state government providing counterpart funding to access the support.

According to him, the next stage will involve evaluating the submitted bids before contracts are awarded to successful companies. The projects are expected to be completed within six months to one year.

Observers at the exercise, including the Chairman of the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply Management of Nigeria in Kogi State, Professor Usman Omeiza, said the process followed proper procurement procedures and was transparent.

Some bidders also expressed satisfaction with the conduct of the exercise and called for the same level of openness during the final selection stage