By Progress Godfrey

Abuja — The Federal Government has inaugurated the National Economic Council (NEC) Technical Sub-Committee on Livestock Development to accelerate reforms in the sector and position it as a strategic driver for economic growth, food security, and national stability.

According to a statement from the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, the committee was inaugurated by Minister Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu at the ministry’s headquarters in Abuja. The initiative aims to strengthen coordination and delivery across Nigeria’s livestock value chain.

The move aligns with broader economic reforms intended to improve agricultural productivity, reduce conflicts linked to livestock production, and unlock investment opportunities across federal, state, and local government levels.

Bagudu explained that the technical sub-committee was established to harmonize existing policy frameworks and fast-track the preparation of an actionable roadmap for consideration and adoption by NEC.

“Our task is not to reinvent the wheel. Substantial work already exists. What is required now is to distil these reports into a clear, practical implementation roadmap that the National Economic Council can adopt without delay,” the minister said.

He recalled that NEC had earlier set up a high-level committee on livestock development, chaired by the Governor of Kebbi State, Dr. Nasir Idris, with governors from the six geopolitical zones, relevant ministers, and the co-chair of the Presidential Committee on Livestock Development as members.

Due to the urgency of the assignment and the demanding schedules of state governors, NEC approved the creation of a technical sub-committee under his chairmanship to drive the process more efficiently, Bagudu said.

“Mr President has consistently emphasised that livestock is not a marginal activity but a central economic driver for food security, agricultural productivity, and inclusive growth. His decision to personally chair the Presidential Committee on Livestock Development reflects this clarity of purpose,” he added.

Bagudu also noted that the establishment of a stand-alone Ministry of Livestock Development underscores the administration’s commitment to treating the sector as a strategic component of national economic planning.

“Livestock development requires collaboration across all tiers of government. This ministry acts as the secretariat of our federal system, ensuring that national plans, budgets, and programmes are aligned, mutually reinforcing, and implemented collaboratively rather than in isolation,” he said.

The minister highlighted financing and programme platforms supporting livestock development, including the World Bank-backed Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support Project, NG-CARES, the Nigeria for Women Programme, and the Renewed Hope Ward-Based Development Plan targeting economic opportunities across Nigeria’s 8,809 wards.

He urged state commissioners to take ownership of the process, noting that broad endorsement of the sub-committee’s recommendations by NEC would enhance resource mobilisation from states and local governments while boosting investor confidence and attracting private sector and development partner participation.

Earlier, the Director overseeing the Office of the Permanent Secretary, Dr. Sampson Ebimaro, described the inauguration as a significant step in advancing the Renewed Hope Agenda of the Tinubu administration. He emphasised that food security remains closely tied to economic growth and reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to coordinating national policies, programmes, and investments to achieve sustainable and inclusive outcomes.