Silagreen partners with Brazil’s ABCZ to strengthen Nigeria’s Dairy Industry

NIGERIA – Silagreen International, an agribusiness firm focused on improving livestock production, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the University of Zebu Breeders Association (ABCZ), Brazil, to boost food security in Nigeria.

According to the Chief Executive Officer of Silagreen International, Michael Akinruli, the partnership is aimed at boosting food security in the country through enhanced cattle breeding and dairy production.

He stated the cooperation was facilitated by the company’s Brazilian partner, ZEBUEMBRYO Company, adding that the MoU is a strategic cooperation between Nigeria and Brazil, particularly regarding cultural and scientific education transfer.

Akinruli added that the arrangement would improve the skills of Nigerian graduates and undergraduates and involve specialisation courses. He stated that the technology transfer would be helpful to the newly created Ministry of Livestock Development.

Akinruli said, “We have done it in such a way that we’ve tailor-made the programme’s courses. The courses will be short ones, in categories of one-month, three-month, and six-month, offered by this university in Brazil.

“It is going to be provided in a hybrid format. Part of it will be online from Nigeria, and the students are now meant to come to Brazil to finalise the training. The university we are talking about is the University of Cattle in Brazil.”

This latest partnership comes after Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu established the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development, leading to numerous countries having approached the Nigerian government with investment proposals targeting the nation’s dairy industry.

Nations including Brazil, China, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, France, Mexico, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the United States have expressed keen interest in partnering with Nigeria to harness its vast livestock potential.

Nigeria’s livestock population, as reported by the Presidential Committee on Livestock Reform, includes an estimated 58 million cattle, a key resource for dairy output. 

Despite this, the country’s dairy sector remains underdeveloped, contributing less than 3% to the nation’s GDP despite a livestock sector valuation of N33 trillion. 

According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation, Nigeria produces only about 700,000 metric tons of milk annually, meeting just 40% of domestic demand. 

This shortfall forces the country to spend approximately US$1.5 billion (N2.3 trillion) each year importing milk and dairy products, as highlighted by President Tinubu in October 2024. 

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