The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to actively engage Nigerian youths in the transformation of the livestock sector through the rebranding of livestock enterprises aimed at boosting food production, creating employment opportunities, and enhancing Nigeria’s global competitiveness.
The Honourable Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, gave this assurance when he received a delegation from the leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) on a courtesy visit to the Ministry’s headquarters in Abuja on Tuesday, June 23, 2026.
Speaking during the meeting, the Minister stated that, the rebranding initiative would focus on key areas of the livestock value chain, including modern animal husbandry, genetics improvement, milk aggregation and processing, feed and fodder production, cold-chain storage, meat packaging, and other value-added activities.
Maiha disclosed that , the Ministry is developing a Women and Youth Livestock Empowerment Initiative designed to engage 1,000 youths from each of the 36 states of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), bringing the total number of beneficiaries to 37,000.
He encouraged young Nigerians to develop bankable and sustainable business plans, noting that the Ministry’s strategy is centered on empowering youths as critical stakeholders in the development of the livestock industry.
According to the Minister, “Youths are our primary target because we believe they represent the future of the sector. We are deliberately involving them in the design and implementation of programmes aimed at rebranding the livestock industry in Nigeria.”
He further assured the students’ association of the Ministry’s readiness to collaborate in advancing initiatives that promote youth participation and entrepreneurship within the livestock sector.
Earlier in his remarks, the National Financial Secretary of NANS and Team Lead of the delegation, Comrade Alao John, stated that the purpose of the visit was to explore areas of partnership with the Ministry and present proposals that align with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR.
He explained that , the association had developed a national initiative focused on training students in poultry farming, fish farming, goat and sheep rearing, dairy production, and animal feed production.
Comrade Alao also advocated stronger collaboration between the Ministry and tertiary institutions to establish livestock training centres, practical agricultural hubs, and internship opportunities for students studying agriculture, veterinary medicine, and related disciplines.
He further highlighted the need for youth-focused employment and empowerment programmes, including graduate livestock empowerment schemes, start-up grants for student entrepreneurs, access to low-interest agricultural loans, annual scholarships for students in Animal Science, Veterinary Medicine and Agriculture, as well as research grants for undergraduate and postgraduate students.
The NANS representative also sought the Ministry’s collaboration in organizing the proposed National Students Livestock and Food Security Summit, themed: “Empowering Nigerian Students Through Livestock Development: Creating Jobs, Enhancing Food Security, and Driving National Growth in Line with the Renewed Hope Agenda.”
Participants at the meeting included students from various universities and colleges of agriculture, officials of the Ministry, and the Senior Special Assistant to the Honourable Minister.
Henrietta Okokon
Deputy Director, Information and Public Relations
23 June 2026
