Nigeria’s National Economic Council (NEC) is now recommending a major shift in livestock farming.
The Council, chaired by Vice President Kashim Shettima, says traditional livestock rearing methods must go to curb deadly farmer-herder conflicts.
During its Thursday meeting at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, NEC discussed the rising violence in Plateau, Benue, and Kwara States. In recent weeks, suspected gunmen have killed dozens, fueling concerns over land disputes and security.
Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri, speaking to journalists after the meeting, said outdated livestock practices are a major cause of clashes between farmers and herders.
“We cannot continue to live in the past,” he said. “Council agreed that Nigeria must now work towards modernising livestock production.”
A ₦90 Billion Vision for Livestock Growth
The newly established Ministry of Livestock Development has introduced an Accelerated Livestock Development and Growth Strategy. The plan hopes to boost the sector’s revenue to between $70 billion and $90 billion by 2035.
The violence, especially in Nigeria’s Middle Belt, often carries religious and ethnic tensions. Nomadic Muslim Fulani herders and largely Christian farmers frequently clash over land access, although the latter claim they’re often passive victims of the herders seeking to expel them from their land in favour of their livestock.
Plateau State has seen particularly brutal attacks recently, with local authorities describing the killings as “genocide sponsored by terrorists.” However, critics argue that such statements oversimplify the deeper issues.
NEC’s recommendation signals a growing consensus among Nigeria’s ruling elite that modernizing livestock farming is not just about agriculture—it’s about national security and peaceful coexistence.
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