FG’s livestock reforms to boost GDP – ACCI
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The Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry has noted that the Federal Government’s reforms are transforming the livestock sector, with the potential to raise its contribution to the country’s Gross Domestic Product to 5 per cent by 2030.
The ACCI Director-General, Agabaidu Jideani, noted in a statement that the livestock sector could increase incomes by up to 40 per cent, create about 20,000 jobs in the first five years, and generate foreign exchange through exports to high-demand markets in the Middle East and Europe.
He announced this while unveiling the chamber’s upcoming Annual National Livestock Development Summit, Trade Fair, and Exhibition scheduled for December 1–6, 2025, at the Adetokunbo Kayode SAN Trade and Convention Centre, Abuja.
Jideani stated that the event, organised in partnership with the Presidential Livestock Reforms Implementation Committee, the Delivery Unit of the Office of the Vice President, and First Lady Concepts Consulting, would act as a “permanent dialogue mechanism” for the sector.
He stated, “The synergy between President Tinubu’s reforms and the ACCI Summit promises exponential gains for Nigeria and its people. Economically, the livestock sector could contribute up to 5 per cent of GDP by 2030, generating foreign exchange through exports to markets in the Middle East and Europe, where demand for halal products exceeds $1tn annually.”
The ACCI DG added that smallholder farmers will benefit from improved market access, with digital platforms reducing middlemen and ensuring fair pricing, potentially increasing incomes by 40 per cent.
The chamber observed that the Federal Government’s reforms are addressing herder-farmer conflicts through alternative dispute resolution frameworks, which could reduce incidents by 25 per cent within two years. Jideani added that it will enhance food and nutrition security, supporting the President’s directive to provide school children with an egg and a cup of milk daily to combat malnutrition and stunted growth.
On the environmental front, Jideani said the reforms and the summit would promote regenerative grazing, carbon sequestration, and water conservation to tackle climate change threats, while empowering women and youths, who constitute 70 per cent of the agricultural workforce.
He observed that the technical focus of the reforms included vaccine development to halve livestock disease losses, precision farming to increase yields, and value chain optimisation through cold chain logistics and abattoir modernisation to cut post-harvest losses from 40 per cent to below 10 per cent.
“The summit will feature policy dialogues, technical workshops, investment deal rooms, and an innovation challenge with grants of up to N50m. We expect over 200 exhibitors showcasing livestock, technologies, equipment and products, as well as engagements that could unlock N8bn in investments in its first edition,” Jideani added.
The ACCI DG urged government, private sector players, civil society and international partners to support the event, saying the initiatives would “turn challenges into triumphs for generations to come.”
