The Federal Government plans to create 10,000 jobs at slaughterhouses

The Federal Government of Nigeria aims to create approximately 10,000 jobs at each new abattoir with a capacity of 500 head of cattle per day. Such facilities are planned to be established nationwide through public-private partnerships. This was announced by the Minister of Livestock Development, Alhaji Idi Maiha, during a two-day working visit to Niger State to assess L-PRES projects, during which he met with Governor Umar Bago.

According to the minister, the initiative is designed to end the practice of transporting live livestock from the north to the south of the country, which leads to weight loss in livestock, accidents, waste, and limited value addition. Instead, it is planned to transport processed meat under cold chain conditions. The new modern abattoirs are expected to stimulate backward integration and provide youth with opportunities in livestock fattening, pasture cultivation, feed production, veterinary services, and transportation.

The minister highlighted three main priorities for his ministry: feed and roughage, breed improvement, and animal health management. He noted that the ministry intends to cooperate with state authorities to establish livestock development centers where herders can settle. Improved breeding should also help increase milk production and reduce dependence on dairy imports, on which the country spends about $1.5 billion annually with a livestock population of approximately 55 million head.

In turn, Niger State Governor Umar Bago stated that the region is addressing the shortage of pastures by incentivizing feed production. The state has secured $100 million from the Saudi Exim Bank, with the initial $10 million being channeled into irrigation projects to support pasture production. In addition, agreements with El-Presco provide for the supply of about 200 head of livestock daily to Niger Food and Abis in Abuja, while each production cycle in the feedlots is designed to simultaneously house from 18,000 to 20,000 head of livestock.