Federal Government Plans 10,000 Jobs via Abattoirs

The Federal Government is targeting the creation of approximately 10,000 jobs from each abattoir with a capacity of 500 cattle per day, established through public-private partnerships across Nigeria. This initiative was announced by the Minister of Livestock Development, Alhaji Idi Maiha, during a courtesy visit to Governor Umaru Bago of Niger while assessing L-PRES projects in Minna.

The government aims to transform the livestock sector by moving away from the transportation of live animals to local meat processing. Maiha urged state governments to collaborate with private sector operators to set up modern abattoirs, which would facilitate backward integration and create opportunities in cattle fattening, pasture cultivation, and animal health services.

He noted that Nigeria's current practice of transporting live animals results in weight loss and limited value addition. The minister also highlighted the importance of improved breeding to increase milk production, as Nigeria spends about $1.5 billion annually on dairy imports despite having around 55 million cattle.