FG Unveils Plan to Bridge Nigeria’s Milk Production Gap, Targets 1.6 Billion Litres Annually

The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to boosting domestic milk production from the current 700 million litres to meet the country’s 1.6 billion litres annual demand.

Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Maiha, gave the assurance in Abuja during a workshop on the Final Review and Validation of the Framework for the Implementation of the National Dairy Policy.

Maiha stated that Nigeria possesses sufficient livestock resources to meet its milk requirements locally if properly harnessed. He described the nation’s dependence on imported dairy products as “unsustainable” and contrary to President Bola Tinubu’s vision of economic diversification and self-reliance.

The minister outlined several government strategies aimed at boosting local milk production, including access to soft loans for farmers, tariff protection, and the establishment of dairy development hubs across major livestock-producing regions.

“There is an urgent need for coordinated efforts to transform Nigeria’s dairy industry and eliminate the country’s $1.5 billion annual dairy import bill,” Maiha said.

Also speaking, the Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, Senator John Enoh, pledged his ministry’s support for the National Dairy Policy, describing it as a key driver of industrial growth, job creation, and food security.

Represented by Dr. Adedeji Adeshile, his Senior Special Adviser on Policy and Governance, Enoh noted that Nigeria’s dairy sector, with an estimated 20 million cattle, currently produces only 700 million litres of milk annually, less than half of the nation’s consumption needs.

He described this gap as both a challenge and an opportunity, adding that the newly validated framework provides a clear roadmap for achieving self-sufficiency in milk production through collaboration between government and the private sector.

Similarly, Prof. Attahiru Jega, Special Adviser and Coordinator of the National Presidential Livestock Reforms Initiative, said the framework is built on 11 strategic pillars of livestock development and aligns with President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

Represented by Prof. Demo Kalla, Director of the Dairy Research and Development Centre at Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi, Jega said the plan underscores the government’s resolve to reposition Nigeria’s livestock and dairy sectors as engines of food security, employment, and sustainable growth.

“The dairy industry goes beyond milk production, it represents nutrition, empowerment, and opportunities for millions of farmers, women, and youth across the country,” he said.