The National Assembly has rebuked the Federal Government of Nigeria for providing minimal support to the livestock industry, two years after creating the dedicated Ministry of Livestock Development.
During a budget defence session, Minister Idi Mukhtar Maiha disclosed that while 65 per cent of animals consumed in Nigeria are imported, the country could earn an estimated N3.2 billion from red meat exports.
However, only N20 billion of the N70 billion approved in 2024 was released, and none of the N10 billion capital allocation for 2025 had been disbursed.
Senator Tahir Monguno described this underfunding as contradictory to the ministry’s purpose, saying: “It is inherently contradictory to create a ministry and then fail to fund it.”
Senator Abdul Ningi suggested possible sabotage as a reason for the lack of capital releases and urged urgent intervention by President Bola Tinubu to ensure proper funding.
The committee recommended a move away from reliance on a mono-product economy and vowed to secure adequate financing to drive meaningful economic diversification through livestock development.
