Continental livestock market database coming
The African Union InterAfrican Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR), in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development and key industry stakeholders, are working to develop a continental database to
The African Union InterAfrican Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR), in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development and key industry stakeholders, are working to develop a continental database to publish real-time cattle prices, processing costs and logistics data across all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
The initiative, which stakeholders describe as a decisive step toward transforming the nation’s livestock economy into a structured, investment-ready sector, is expected to bridge a long-standing data gap that has discouraged both domestic and foreign investors from committing capital to the value chain.
The proposed project was one of the major highlights of a three-day forum held in Abuja and organised by AU-IBAR under its Africa Pastoral Markets Development Platform. The database will be used by investors across the continent exploring business opportunities in the livestock value chain.
Nigeria is home to one of Africa’s largest cattle populations, estimated at about 20 million head spread across diverse agroecological zones.
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Despite this vast resource base, the sector remains opaque, characterised by fragmented market information, unreliable supply chain data and wide price disparities between states, making planning difficult for investors and policymakers.
The forum consultant, Umaru Hassan said the absence of reliable data has been a major constraint. “Without that information, no serious investor can make rational decisions, and no government can design effective policy,” he said. Currently, processors are already under pressure, with cow prices rising sharply to about ₦2.5 million in major markets such as Lagos, up from ₦1.7 million in 2025. The surge has been driven by insecurity along transportation routes, rising fuel costs and delays in local ranching projects, with industry operators noting that cows now cost more than some vehicles. The Managing Director, Rahama Integrated Farm Limited, Munir Babba Danagundi, said strengthening direct market linkages between producers and processors could reduce inefficiencies. “Both the producer and the processor, if not very careful in the system, the middleman can benefit more than the producer and the processor combined,” he said, adding that closer commercial relationships would ultimately lower costs for consumers. He explained that a cow purchased in Maiduguri, Borno State, could be sold at significantly different prices in Lagos or Port Harcourt, with the variation driven by transportation costs, middlemen, processing fees and local demand. Project Knowledge Management Expert, APMD, Eric Allela, said there was a need for an integrated platform to provide real-time price data for live cattle, carcass beef and processed livestock products across major markets nationwide. He added that it would also track haulage and cold chain logistics costs along key trade corridors, giving investors a transparent view of the true cost of doing business from ranch to retail. A researcher at the National Animal Production Research Institute, Umar Aliyu Umar, described the absence of reliable data as the sector’s most critical bottleneck, directly linked to the persistent financing gap. “The reality is simple: no data means no trust, no trust means no finance, and without finance there can be no scalable market,” he said. He added that the country is shifting from policy dialogue to building systems capable of attracting real investment. “Nigeria has established governance structures, mobilised stakeholders, and developed a data-driven action plan with 52 priority use-cases to guide decision-making in the livestock sector,” he said.
Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Livestock Development, Dr Chinyere Akujobi, said the Federal Government is pursuing a data-driven transformation agenda anchored on innovative financing models, stronger partnerships and a modern livestock information system. Speaking through the Director of Livestock Extension and Business Development, Shekamang Ayuba, she emphasised that sustained collaboration and practical financing solutions are critical to repositioning the sector. “The sector’s vast potential can only be realised through coordinated action across the value chain,” she said, stressing that discussions at the forum underscored the urgency of moving beyond rhetoric to structured interventions that address financing and market inefficiencies. “Unlocking the full potential of the pastoral economy requires more than goodwill. It demands deliberate, structured and sustained collaboration,” she added. Director AU-IBAR, Huyam Ahmed Mohammed Elamin Salih, whose remarks were delivered by APMD Policy Pillar Lead Ahmed Elbeltagy, described the forum as a results-driven platform aimed at unlocking investment and strengthening market systems across Africa.She acknowledged Nigeria’s strong livestock potential but pointed to persistent structural challenges, including weak coordination, limited access to finance, and inconsistent supply and quality.
