Northern Youths Urged to Tap Into $74bn Livestock Potential

Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, has urged youths in Northern Nigeria to take advantage of opportunities in the livestock sector.

Maiha said the industry could grow from its current value of 32 billion dollars to 74 billion dollars by 2035.

He made the call at the 2026 Arewa Agricultural and Innovation Summit at Bayero University, Kano.

The minister said about 95 percent of Nigeria’s livestock resources are located in the North, creating opportunities in employment, entrepreneurship, processing and value addition.

He said animals are still transported over long distances and sold mainly in raw form, leading to economic losses.

Maiha said the Federal Government is working with northern states and the National Assembly to establish modern abattoirs through public-private partnerships.

He added that the government plans to phase out the transportation and trading of live animals within the next two to three years.

According to him, an abattoir processing 500 bulls daily could create about 10,000 jobs across production, veterinary services, transportation, meat processing and cold-chain logistics.

The minister also encouraged youths to explore animal feed, leather and organic fertiliser production.