Nigeria advances dairy policy to curb import dependence

NIGERIA – Nigeria has taken a bold step toward ending its US$1.5 billion annual dairy import bill and achieving self-sufficiency in milk production.

Key stakeholders from the government, the private sector, and development organisations convened in Abuja for a two-day workshop to validate the Implementation Framework of the National Dairy Policy.

The event, held on 4 November 2025, marked a significant milestone in the nation’s agricultural transformation agenda.

It brought together senior government officials, industry players, researchers and development partners to align on practical steps for repositioning Nigeria’s dairy sector for sustainability and growth.

Declaring the workshop open, the Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Maiha described the exercise as a strategic platform to translate policy into tangible results.

He stressed that Nigeria must move swiftly from being a consumer of imported milk to a producer nation, noting that continued dependence on imports was an unsustainable drain on the economy.

Despite having an estimated 58 million cattle, he said, the country still spends over USD1.5 billion yearly importing milk and other dairy products. This, he observed, represents a lost opportunity for local prosperity and empowerment.

“Every dollar spent on imported milk is a dollar that could have empowered a local pastoralist, a dairy processor or a rural community,” he said. “We must transition from being a nation of dairy consumers to a powerhouse of dairy producers. There is no alternative.”

He announced several incentives designed to accelerate domestic milk production, including five-year tax holidays for new dairy processors, low-interest loans for farmers, tariff protection for local producers and the establishment of well-equipped dairy hubs across key production zones.

He also proposed introducing school feeding programmes that use locally sourced milk, guaranteed off-take arrangements and the deployment of dairy extension officers to improve smallholder productivity.

“The USD1.5 billion we spend on dairy imports is not a fixed cost – it is a potential investment in our future,” Mukhtar asserted. “We must leave this workshop with an actionable roadmap that ensures the milk consumed in every Nigerian home is proudly our own.”

Representing the Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, Sen. John Owan, Dr. Adedeji Adeshile, his senior special adviser on policy and governance, reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to the National Dairy Policy as a driver of industrial growth, job creation and food security.

He observed that Nigeria’s dairy sector, though home to more than 20 million cattle, produces only about 700 million litres of milk annually — less than half of national demand, estimated at 1.6 billion litres.

“This supply gap is both a challenge and an opportunity,” he said. “The Implementation Framework being validated today is a crucial step in operationalising the National Dairy Policy. It aligns government and private sector efforts to achieve self-sufficiency in milk production.”

Speaking on behalf of the Presidential Livestock Reforms Implementation Committee, Prof. Attahiru Jega, represented by a member of the committee, Prof. Demo Kalla, described the framework as a key element of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s ‘Renewed Hope’ agenda.

He noted that the policy provides for the establishment of a National Dairy Development and Milk Marketing Board and a National Dairy Development Fund to coordinate value chain activities and ensure sustainable financing.

Jega called for stronger institutional capacity, private sector-led innovation and Nigeria’s participation in the International Dairy Federation to benchmark global best practices.

Represented by the ministry’s director, Ruminant and Monogastric Development Department, Victor Egbon, described the framework as the product of extensive consultation designed to ensure inclusivity, practicality, and sustainability.

Representing the private sector, the president of the Commercial Dairy Ranchers Association of Nigeria (CODARAN), M.D. Abubakar described the framework as a roadmap for systematic development of the dairy industry.

He stressed the importance of backward integration, where dairy processors invest in local milk production, feed formulation and breeding programmes as a sustainable route to self-reliance.

Across all sessions, participants expressed strong support for the Implementation Framework and reaffirmed their collective resolve to build a competitive and resilient dairy economy driven by innovation and local investment.

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