….urges private sector to champion livestock investments

By Gabriel Ewepu

ABUJA – THE Federal Government, Monday, disclosed 38 livestock facilities in the six geopolitical zones are in comatose.

The Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Maiha, made the disclosure in an address delivered at the ‘Specialized Training on Public-Private Partnerships, PPP, organised by the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development in Abuja.

Maiha while declaring the training open called on the private sector to champion investments in the livestock sector.

Meanwhile, he explained that it became imperative for the training in a bid to build institutional capacity within the Ministry and stakeholders in order to understand, structure, negotiate, and manage PPP projects in line with global best practices and national regulatory frameworks.

He said stressed that the training is sought to: Deepen participants’ understanding of PPP concepts, models, and lifecycle processes; Enhance capacity for project identification, preparation, and appraisal in the livestock sector.

Strengthen compliance with Nigeria’s PPP laws, guidelines, and institutional arrangements; Promote collaboration among Ministries, Departments and Agencies, the private sector, and development partners; and foster a shared vision for bankable, sustainable, and socially responsible livestock PPP projects.

He said: “Livestock contributes significantly to national GDP, nutrition, and livelihoods, yet its full potential remains largely untapped due to long-standing structural, infrastructural, and investment gaps.

“It is against this background that Public-Private Partnerships provides not just an option, but a strategic necessity for massive transformation of the livestock sector.

“Government alone cannot sustainably finance, operate, and modernize the livestock value chains. Equally, the private sector requires an enabling policy, regulatory, and institutional environment to invest with confidence. PPP provides the framework through which these complementary strengths can be harnessed for mutual benefit and national development.

“As you participate in this training, I encourage you to engage actively, ask critical questions, share experiences, and explore innovative solutions tailored to the peculiar realities of Nigeria’s livestock sector.

“The Federal Ministry of Livestock Development has about 38 livestock legacy facilities spread in all the six geopolitical zones. All of them are comatose. These are Milk Collection Centres, Cattle Multiplication Centres, Goat and Sheep Breeding Centres, Pig Progeny Centres and Tanneries.

“Many of them were built over 60 to 70 years ago. These must be revived and made to work. The PPP Model is the preferred business model for these facilities to be back to business.

“Let us move beyond theory to practical implementation. Let us begin to conceptualize livestock PPP projects that are: Economically viable, socially inclusive, environmentally sustainable, and aligned with national development priorities.”