2027: Miyetti Allah backs Tinubu’s re-election, cites livestock ministry

By Ibrahim Hassan-Wuyo The National President of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Baba Othman Ngelzarma, has declared support for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027, citing the establishment of the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development as a major step towards addressing decades of neglect of the livestock sector.

Ngelzarma said pastoralists, cattle breeders and other livestock stakeholders across the country were prepared to support Tinubu for a second term in appreciation of his administration’s recognition of the economic importance of the sector. He spoke at a rally organised in Kaduna by the Fulbe APC Forum and Tinubu Yeso-Yeso Political Forum (TYPF), in collaboration with the Coalition of Pastoralists and Traders Associations and the Amalgamated Union of Livestock Dealers, Butchers and other stakeholders.

The rally, held under the theme, “United for Inclusion, Representation and Prosperity,” attracted Fulani organisations, pastoralists, cattle breeders, livestock dealers, butchers, processors and political stakeholders from different parts of the country. Ngelzarma said the creation of the livestock ministry in July 2024 had fulfilled a longstanding demand by pastoralists and livestock operators, who had campaigned for a dedicated government institution to address challenges in the industry for several decades.

“We are here today to extend our appreciation and support to the administration of President Tinubu. “The creation of the livestock ministry is something we have been advocating for and looking forward to for decades,” he said. He noted that the initiative had also encouraged some state governments to establish similar institutions to coordinate livestock development, describing it as an opportunity to address longstanding challenges confronting pastoralists and other operators in the industry.

The Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, urged pastoralists, livestock farmers and other stakeholders to take advantage of the ministry’s programmes to improve productivity, expand their businesses and enhance their livelihoods. Maiha identified inadequate veterinary services, limited access to pasture and water, high feed costs, poor market infrastructure and low productivity as some of the factors that had hindered the growth of Nigeria’s livestock industry over the years.

He said Nigeria had an estimated 58 million cattle, 124 million goats, 70 million sheep, 9.3 million pigs, 3.2 million donkeys, 700,000 camels and 300 million birds, describing the figures as enormous economic opportunities that could be harnessed through deliberate investments and improved management. The minister disclosed that seven veterinary hospitals had been completed and equipped under a World Bank-supported programme, while additional facilities were at various stages of completion.

He said the Federal Government planned to expand veterinary services across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, with primary veterinary facilities also envisaged for the 774 local government areas. Maiha challenged livestock associations to work with the ministry and state governments within three months to identify the challenges confronting their members and develop practical proposals for investment and improved service delivery.

He said the government was also working to strengthen Nigeria’s participation in regional and international livestock trade through improved animal health standards, traceability systems and market infrastructure. On the recurring tensions between farmers and pastoralists, the minister stressed the need for peaceful coexistence, dialogue and responsible management of land and water resources, noting that sustainable livestock development depended on harmonious relationships between farming and pastoral communities.

He also urged young Nigerians to embrace livestock production as a viable business capable of generating employment and wealth, rather than viewing it merely as a traditional occupation. In his remarks, Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani, represented by the Commissioner for Agriculture, Murtala Dabo, said the state government was complementing the Federal Government’s initiative through investments in livestock infrastructure and services.

Dabo disclosed that Kaduna State’s budgetary allocation to livestock development had increased from N1.48 billion in 2023 to more than N100 billion in 2026. He said the state government had provided solar-powered water facilities in pastoralist communities, expanded livestock vaccination programmes and introduced artificial insemination services to improve animal productivity.

According to him, improved feeding and breeding practices had increased milk production among some cattle from about 1.5 litres to between three and four litres. He added that the government was also upgrading slaughter facilities and improving infrastructure across the livestock value chain to boost production, processing a