Nigeria launches ABIS Livestock Academy, seeks Belgian partnership to modernize sector

By Kunle Sanni –

The Federal Government has launched the ABIS Livestock Academy in Abuja, reaffirming its commitment to modernising Nigeria’s livestock industry and strengthening international cooperation.

Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, speaking at the National Livestock Transformation Dialogue and the official launch of the academy on Tuesday, said the country’s livestock sector must move beyond outdated practices to achieve global competitiveness.

“The grazing reserve and the abattoir are two ends of the same vision,” he said. “Between them lies a value chain that creates jobs, empowers youth and women, drives growth, and secures Nigeria’s place in the global livestock market.”

The academy, established by ABIS, will serve as a training hub for technical skills and capacity building across the livestock value chain. The company has also invested in abattoir modernisation, cold storage facilities, and structured meat distribution systems.

ABIS Chairman, Emmanuel Nelson Usman, disclosed that the company’s projects are expected to generate over 36,000 jobs nationwide, strengthen food security, support biogas innovation, and boost export potential.

In a related development, the Nigerian Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL) announced that it has trained nearly 500 livestock stakeholders this year and facilitated over ₦270 billion in loans and investments for the sector.

Meanwhile, the Minister received the Belgian Ambassador to Nigeria, Pieter Leenknegt, who confirmed that a Belgian trade mission will visit Nigeria in November to explore opportunities in agriculture, food systems, cold-chain management, and artificial intelligence for livestock traceability.

Maiha highlighted Nigeria’s livestock market—valued at over $33 trillion, with more than 200 million ruminants—as a major investment frontier. He expressed interest in Belgian expertise in cattle genetics, vaccines, pharmaceuticals, feed, and technology, including the Belgian Blue cattle breed and AI-driven cattle tagging systems for enhanced productivity and data-driven management.