by Achadu Gabriel, Kaduna
Fulani Pastoralists and other stakeholders in the Livestock Development Ministry in Nigeria have rallied support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the 2027.
This was announced during ‘A Thank You Rally’ held in Kaduna over the weekend, at Murtala Mohammed Square, by representatives of pastoralists and other Fulani associations.
In an address at the rally, Minister of Livestock Development, Mr. Idi Mukhtar Maiha, described the establishment of the Ministry of Livestock Development by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as a strategic move aimed at modernising animal husbandry, strengthening food security, and improving the livelihoods of Nigerians.
The Minister stated this during a ‘Thank You Rally’ held in Kaduna, weekend where pastoralists’ representatives and other stakeholders from the nation’s agricultural and livestock sectors gathered to pass a vote-of-confidence on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for 2027.
Maiha lamented that successive administrations, ranging from military regimes to civilian governments, had failed to establish a dedicated institutional platform to harness the economic potential of Nigeria’s Pastoralists and livestock sectors, despite their significant contributions to the nation’s economy.
He noted that Nigeria has an estimated livestock population of 58 million cattle, alongside millions of goats, sheep, and pigs, most of which are managed by local pastoralists and farming communities, particularly in Northern Nigeria.
The Minister, alongside a coalition of pastoralist groups, pledged unwavering support for the Tinubu administration, committing to work tirelessly to ensure that the new ministry fulfils its mandate of transforming Nigeria’s agricultural and livestock sectors.
Also speaking at the event, Kaduna State Governor, Malam Uba Sani, reiterated his administration’s commitment to transforming the livestock sector and improving the livelihoods of pastoralists across the state.
Represented by Commissioner for Agriculture, Murtala Mohammed Dabo, the governor assured pastoralist communities that their longstanding advocacy was yielding tangible results through government interventions at both the state and federal levels.
Addressing key stakeholders, government representatives, and pastoralist union leaders, Governor Uba Sani emphasised that his administration views livestock farming not as a source of conflict but as a major driver of national wealth and economic development.
He commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for establishing the Ministry of Livestock Development, in July 2024, describing the move as a response to a demand that pastoralist communities had pursued for about six decades. He further recognised the livestock sector as a critical component of Nigeria’s economy, with an estimated value of ₦33 trillion.
Governor Uba Sani also highlighted national initiatives such as the National Livestock Growth Acceleration Strategy (NLGAS), which promotes ranching, dairy production, meat processing, animal feed mills, and genetic improvement to enhance meat and milk production.
The governor disclosed that his administration had significantly increased the state’s budgetary allocation to agriculture, from ₦1.48 billion in 2023 to over ₦100 billion in 2026.
According to him, the increased investment had translated into extensive grassroots interventions across more than 73 pastoralist communities in Kaduna State.
He explained that the benefiting communities had received solar-powered water pumping machines and livestock drinking troughs, tricycles for milk aggregation, fodder choppers, and crop-residue crushers to improve livestock production and productivity.
The governor further revealed that daily milk production per cow had increased, from an average of 1.5 litres to between 3 and 4 litres in communities such as Tudun Wada, Gebo, Tahu, and Amana.
In addition to supporting primary production, he said the State Government had upgraded the livestock value chain through the modernisation of abattoirs and the construction of slaughter slabs at 21 locations across the state. These interventions are further complemented by a multi-billion-naira Modern Abattoir project awarded by his administration.
Also speaking on behalf of the coalition, National President of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Baba Othman Njelzarma, said the endorsement was an expression of appreciation for President Tinubu’s developmental initiatives and transformative interventions in support of pastoralist communities across the country.
He stressed that pastoralist communities were determined to reciprocate the administration’s support by mobilising behind the President.
He said: “What you see here is the leadership of all pastoralist groups across the country who are here to support the Minister in his effort to show appreciation to Mr President for so many things he has done for the pastoralist community.
“The message is simple: to show our appreciation, to show our support, and to assure Mr President that this time, we are going to reciprocate the gesture he has extended to us by ensuring that he comes back in 2027.”
The endorsement was supported by an extensive network of stakeholders drawn from all major sub-sectors of the livestock industry Led by the leadership of Miyetti Allah and other national pastoralist associations, the coalition brings together diverse stakeholders within the livestock value chain under a unified platform to support the Federal Government’s livestock development agenda.