The Federal Ministry of Livestock Development has reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to strengthening bilateral cooperation with India in the development of the livestock sector, particularly in dairy development, animal breeding, veterinary services, meat processing and value addition.
The Honourable Minister of Livestock Development, Hon. Idi Mukhtar Maiha, stated this during an engagement with the High Commissioner of India to Nigeria at the Ministry’s headquarters in Abuja Thursday 12th July 2026.
The Minister said Nigeria and India have maintained longstanding relations and should continue to explore practical areas of cooperation that can support Nigeria’s efforts to modernize its livestock sector.
He noted that India’s experience in livestock production, dairy development, breeding, processing and animal health provides useful lessons for Nigeria as the Federal Government works to unlock the economic potential of the sector.
Maiha said the Ministry was particularly interested in strengthening cooperation in areas such as dairy production, improved livestock genetics, artificial insemination, feed development, veterinary services, meat processing and market access.
According to him, stronger technical cooperation with India would help Nigeria build local capacity, improve livestock productivity and develop more efficient value chains that would benefit farmers and other actors across the sector.
The Minister further stressed the need for practical knowledge exchange, technical capacity building and exposure to successful livestock models that could be adapted to Nigeria’s local conditions.
The High Commissioner of India, Abhishek Singh, expressed his country’s readiness to deepen cooperation with Nigeria, particularly in areas where India has developed strong expertise in livestock production, dairy development, processing and related technologies.
He noted the importance of strengthening institutional cooperation between both countries and supporting technical exchanges that could contribute to the development of Nigeria’s livestock sector.
The engagement also discussed opportunities for Nigeria to learn from India’s experience in dairy production and processing, veterinary frameworks, food safety systems, livestock breeding and international market access.
The Minister said the discussions forms part of the Federal Government’s broader efforts to build strategic international partnerships that will accelerate the transformation of Nigeria’s livestock sector.
The collaboration is expected to contribute to the objectives of the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu by improving food security, creating jobs, increasing investment and strengthening the contribution of livestock to Nigeria’s economic growth.
Henrietta Okokon
Deputy Director, Information and Public Relations
12th August, 2026
