Nigeria ramps up dairy reforms to boost local milk production

NIGERIA – The Federal Government has intensified efforts to transform Nigeria’s dairy industry by promoting commercial models that improve livestock genetics, expand milk collection infrastructure and introduce modern farming technologies to reduce the country’s dependence on imported dairy products.

The renewed push was highlighted on the final day of the Honourable Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha’s, three-day working visit to Kano State. The tour focused on assessing public and private investments aimed at increasing local milk production and strengthening the dairy value chain.

As part of the visit, the minister commissioned an upgraded Milk Collection Centre operated by L&Z Integrated Farms in Kadawa, Kura Local Government Area.

The facility has doubled its milk handling capacity from 10,000 litres to 20,000 litres, strengthening the cold-chain network that enables pastoralists to supply fresh milk directly to processors.

According to the company’s Managing Director, Muhammadu Damakka Abubakar, L&Z Integrated Farms operates nine solar-powered milk collection centres across Kano, Jigawa and Bauchi states. The centres currently serve more than 4,000 smallholder dairy farmers organised into 53 cooperatives.

The company’s Chief Operating Officer, Dr. Adelaja Ayo, disclosed that plans are underway to enrol an additional 3,000 farmers into the network before the end of 2026, further expanding milk aggregation and market access for rural producers.

Maiha commended the company for establishing a comprehensive digital database of dairy farmers, describing reliable data as essential for effective planning, targeted interventions and improved service delivery within the livestock sector.

“Data is fundamental to livestock development. It enables government and investors alike to understand farmers’ needs, design targeted interventions and measure impact. This is exactly the direction the sector should be taking,” the minister said.

The minister also inspected irrigated pasture development projects designed to address seasonal shortages of livestock feed and ensure year-round access to quality fodder, a key factor in improving milk productivity.

The tour ended at the Kadawa Artificial Insemination and Genetics Centre in Garum Malam Local Government Area, where the minister observed semen collection, preservation and livestock breeding operations.

While applauding the Kano State Government for upgrading the facility, Maiha urged that it be operated under a commercially viable Public-Private Partnership model to maximise its potential.

“This centre has enormous potential. We must begin to operate it commercially through carefully structured Public-Private Partnerships. It is not just an artificial insemination centre; it is a genetics centre,” he said.

The minister also called for stronger investment in long-term breeding research and stricter biosecurity measures before concluding his inspection at the Kano Livestock Service Centre in Bagauda.

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