FG’s livestock reforms to boost GDP – ACCI

The Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) says ongoing Federal Government reforms are transforming Nigeria’s livestock sector, with the potential to raise its contribution to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to 5% by 2030.

In a statement, ACCI Director-General, Agabaidu Jideani, said the sector could boost farmers’ incomes by up to 40%, create 20,000 jobs in its first five years, and generate foreign exchange from exports to high-demand markets in the Middle East and Europe.

Jideani announced these projections while unveiling the chamber’s 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.

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, the summit will serve as a “permanent dialogue mechanism” for the sector.

“The synergy between President Tinubu’s reforms and the ACCI Summit promises exponential gains for Nigeria and its people,” Jideani said. “Economically, the livestock sector could contribute up to 5% of GDP by 2030, with exports tapping into markets where demand for halal products exceeds $1 trillion annually.”

According to him, smallholder farmers will benefit from improved market access, as digital platforms reduce middlemen and ensure fair pricing. The government’s reforms also target a 25% reduction in herder-farmer conflicts within two years, using alternative dispute resolution frameworks.

Other expected benefits include:

• Nutrition Security: Support for the President’s directive to provide school children with an egg and a cup of milk daily.

• Environmental Gains: Promotion of regenerative grazing, carbon sequestration, and water conservation to combat climate change.

• Technical Innovations: Vaccine development to halve livestock disease losses, precision farming to increase yields, and value chain optimisation to reduce post-harvest losses from 40% to under 10%.

The summit will feature policy dialogues, technical workshops, investment deal rooms, and an innovation challenge with grants of up to ₦50 million. More than 200 exhibitors are expected, with potential to unlock ₦8 billion in investments.

Jideani urged government, private sector stakeholders, civil society, and international partners to support the initiative, saying it could “turn challenges into triumphs for generations to come.”