Nigeria, AU, others in push to unlock $3.4tr livestock market
By Daniel Essiet Nigeria, African Union Inter-African Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR), and other stakeholders are intensifying efforts to unlock Africa’s estimated $3.4 trillion livestock market by strengthening value chains,
By Daniel Essiet
Nigeria, African Union Inter-African Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR), and other stakeholders are intensifying efforts to unlock Africa’s estimated $3.4 trillion livestock market by strengthening value chains, boosting investment, and integrating trade under the African Continental Free Trade Area.
The renewed push comes amid projections that Africa’s rapidly growing population of about 1.2 billion people will significantly increase demand for meat and livestock products. AU-IBAR estimated that the continent’s meat market, currently valued at over $66 billion, could exceed $100 billion by 2034, with total demand projected to reach 34.8 million tons by 2050.
In Nigeria, the Federal Government has unveiled a $50 billion private sector-backed livestock investment programme aimed at expanding the industry and unlocking its full economic potential. Supported by the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce Industry Mines and Agriculture, the initiative is designed to more than double the sector’s contribution to the economy from about $32 billion to $74 billion.
Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, welcomed the initiative, describing it as aligned with the National Livestock Growth Acceleration Strategy (NL-GAS). He emphasised that private sector participation would be central to achieving the desired transformation.
“The future of Nigeria’s livestock sector depends on bold, private sector-led investment across the value chain. We see the private sector not just as participants, but as the primary drivers of this economic revolution, with vast opportunities spanning agro-processing, animal health, and digital innovation,” he said.
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The minister identified red meat, dairy, and leather as priority value chains, noting their potential to reduce imports, expand exports, and generate employment. He also underscored the importance of investments in feed production, pasture development, animal health systems, and genetic improvement to enhance productivity.
Similarly, NACCIMA President, Jani Ibrahim, described the initiative as a critical step toward repositioning the livestock industry. He highlighted its strong potential to boost GDP, create jobs, and expand non-oil exports if properly developed.
“Governments create the enabling environment, but it is businesses that innovate, invest, scale, and sustain economic growth,” he said.
Meanwhile, AU-IBAR’s 2025 Annual Report outlines significant progress in strengthening Africa’s livestock systems to support food security and economic growth. Operating under the African Union, the bureau reported advances in animal health, sustainable production, and trade facilitation across member states.
A key milestone highlighted in the report is the endorsement of the Policy Framework for Economic African Feed and Fodder Sectors and Industries (PFEAFF), which provides continental guidance for developing resilient livestock economies. The bureau also expanded its interventions into the blue economy, training over 700 individuals in fisheries governance and supporting 28 countries to align national policies with continental reform strategies.
Another major achievement was the launch of the Pan-African Programme for the Eradication of Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR) in Addis Ababa. The initiative aims to eliminate the disease by 2030 and has already supported 15 member states in updating national strategies, while identifying 11 African vaccine producers to strengthen regional supply chains.
“These activities are accelerating Africa’s progress toward the global eradication of PPR by 2030, protecting small ruminant production systems and strengthening the livelihoods of millions of livestock keepers across the continent,” the bureau stated.
In addition, more than $20 million has been mobilised through cooperative livestock feed and fodder initiatives, according to the AU-IBAR report. Six participating countries, including Cameroon, Kenya, Nigeria, Somalia, Uganda, and Zimbabwehave been encouraged to implement feed and fodder data systems to support evidence-based planning and improve livestock productivity.
As part of this effort, feed and fodder data ecosystems have been operationalised in six countries, with national dashboards launched in Cameroon, Nigeria, and Zimbabwe.
Under the Resilient African Feed and Fodder Systems (RAFFS) initiative, AU-IBAR has supported policy development, data systems, and investment mobilisation to strengthen the sector. Feed inventories have been validated in Nigeria and Cameroon, while policy reform roadmaps and investment profiles have been developed to guide growth.
The report further noted that a dairy cooperative fodder model implemented in Kenya and Uganda has mobilised over $20 million in commitments from nine cooperatives in Kenya. Nigeria has also launched its first national feed balance report to strengthen institutional coordination and planning.
To sustain progress beyond the project’s completion in June, AU-IBAR has developed an exit and sustainability pathway and prepared a follow-up concept note to attract additional investment and partners. Future efforts will focus on institutionalising feed and fodder initiatives, strengthening policy frameworks, and mobilising public and private financing, including foreign direct investment.
Through the Catalysing Transformation Towards Sustainable Livestock Systems (LiveSys) project—implemented in Kenya, Nigeria, and Zambia with support from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development and technical assistance from the German Corporation for International Cooperation—a continental Climate and Livestock Think Tank has been established. The initiative aims to position Africa’s livestock sector as a driver of climate resilience, biodiversity protection, and sustainable food systems.
In parallel, the Advancing Pastoral Livestock Markets (APMD) programme is strengthening livestock productivity while improving pastoral data and traceability systems across the continent. Pilot efforts in Kenya and Nigeria have aligned harmonised standards with national governance frameworks, enhancing transparency and market access.
