NEC sets up committee to fast-track livestock development
The National Economic Council (NEC) has constituted a high-level committee on livestock development to speed up reforms in the sector and address Nigeria’s long-standing farmer-herder conflict.
The decision was taken at the 155th NEC meeting held virtually and chaired by Vice President Kashim Shettima. The council said achieving food security requires a practical, durable, and nationally accepted solution to recurring clashes between farmers and herders.
The Livestock Development Committee comprises representatives from the six geopolitical zones: Bauchi State for the North-East, Niger State for the North-Central, Ondo State for the South-West, Imo State for the South-East, Cross River State for the South-South, and Kebbi State for the North-West. Kebbi State Governor, Nasir Idris, will serve as chairman.
Other members include the Ministers of Livestock Development, Agriculture and Food Security; Budget and Economic Planning; and the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Agribusiness in the Office of the Vice President.
NEC directed the committee to engage relevant stakeholders to review recommendations of the Presidential Livestock Reform Committee and proposals from the Ministry of Livestock Development. The committee is also to identify states willing to participate in implementing the livestock reform programme.
The move follows a directive by President Bola Tinubu at the Federal Executive Council meeting of December 10, 2025, mandating the NEC to work with the Ministry of Livestock Development to produce a clear roadmap for transforming the livestock industry. The ministry subsequently presented a proposal aimed at repositioning the sector as a modern, peaceful, and profitable contributor to national development.
Shettima said persistent violence linked to farmer-herder tensions has undermined food systems, livelihoods, and trust across the country, stressing that unresolved conflicts have spread beyond regional boundaries and now pose a national challenge.
He commended President Tinubu for integrating livestock production into the national economic framework, noting that the establishment of a dedicated Ministry of Livestock Development reflects the administration’s commitment to reforming the sector.
The Vice President urged state governors to take the livestock reform proposals seriously, describing the sector as a major opportunity for economic growth, conflict resolution and the restoration of peace in affected communities. He assured that recommendations from the Presidential Livestock Reform Committee and the Ministry of Livestock Development would receive priority attention from the Federal Government, while calling on states to support efforts to unlock the sector’s full potential.
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