By Vice President Kashim Shettima has reaffirmed the commitment of the President Bola Tinubu-led government to harness the potential of Nigeria’s dairy subsector and position the country as a leading milk exporter within the African continent under the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA). The Vice President made this statement during the unveiling of the National Dairy Policy Document as part of the activities commemorating World Milk Day.
Despite consuming an average of 1.6 billion liters of milk and its products annually, Nigeria faces a production deficit, leading to the importation of dairy products worth $1.5 billion each year. Represented by Dr Kingsley Uzoma, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Agribusiness and Productivity Enhancement, Shettima emphasized that the National Dairy Policy will serve as a roadmap for revitalizing the dairy industry in the coming years.
The Tinubu administration aims to achieve national production security and eventually export dairy products to other African countries under the AfCFTA. The implementation of the National Dairy Policy is expected to improve dairy farming practices, increase investment in dairy processing and preservation, facilitate evidence-based policy implementation, foster collaboration, ease business operations, promote public-private partnerships, embrace technology and innovation, empower women and youth-centric business models, ensure good animal health practices, and monitor progress.
Shettima highlighted the significant investments from local and international firms, such as Friesland WAMCO and Danone’s Fan Milk, which have launched extensive backward integration projects to boost local milk production, create jobs, and promote economic development. These investments involve establishing state-of-the-art dairy farms and processing facilities, reducing the need for imports and enhancing food and nutritional security.
The Vice President emphasized the importance of comprehensive development strategies, greater investment, and better regulatory frameworks to support the growth and impact of the dairy industry. He also noted the potential of technology, innovation, and public-private partnerships in streamlining operations, boosting productivity, and facilitating access to finance and resources.
Senator Abdullahi Sabi, the Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, presented the highlights of the National Dairy Policy, which aims to create an enabling environment, generate jobs, reduce imports, set milk production targets, establish milk collection centres, facilitate cooperative business structures, attract massive investments, improve nutrition, build capacity, support livestock farmers, promote financial empowerment, develop products, and ensure sustainability.
The transformation of Nigeria’s dairy sector is a collective responsibility that requires the concerted efforts of the government, private sector, and all stakeholders. By working together, Nigeria can harness the nutrition and investment opportunities in a sustainable dairy value chain, ensuring the industry’s continued growth, providing quality nutrition, creating jobs, achieving food security, and driving economic growth.
