A New Beginning and a New Dawn in Niger State Livestock Development: NSLDTC and NAITS
The Chairman of the Niger State Livestock Development Technical Committee (NSLDTC) and the National Animal Identification and Traceability System (NAITS) and Inspection Permit, Hon. Umar Ahmed Rebe (Jonwuron Minna), convened the second stakeholders’ meeting to deliberate on strategies for ensuring the progress and ultimate success of these vital National projects.
The discussions focused on practical approaches, strengthening collaboration among stakeholders, and aligning collective efforts towards the effective implementation of both NSLDTC and NAITS. These initiatives, with far-reaching benefits for the livestock sector, are foundational to the livelihoods, nutrition, economy, and territorial peace of Niger State.
However, persistent systemic challenges—ranging from inefficient production systems to weak veterinary services—have long constrained the sector’s full potential. To address these bottlenecks and position Niger State as a livestock transformation model for the nation, the Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries established the NSLDTC.
The Committee is tasked with developing a 2025–2030 Niger State Livestock Development Roadmap through a robust and harmonized methodology that aligns with international standards, national frameworks (notably the Nigeria Livestock Transformation Plan and the Presidential Livestock Reforms Implementation Committee [PLRIC] Report), and Niger State’s unique comparative advantages.
*Mission of the Committee*
The NSLDTC’s mission is to:
• Conduct an integrated diagnostic of Niger State’s livestock sector using global best-practice benchmarks.
• Engage communities, stakeholders, and private actors through participatory tools.
• Align the Roadmap with international frameworks (OIE, FAO, One Health) and national models (NLTP, PLRIC).
• Design an actionable, costed, and politically attuned transformation strategy.
• Propose governance and institutional reforms that ensure sustainability and investor confidence.
• Serve as a catalytic platform for conflict resolution, job creation, and rural development.
• Establish a roadmap for:
• Curbing livestock theft through a reliable identification and traceability framework.
• Boosting internal revenue generation (IGR) for state and local governments.
*Strategic Justification*
In 2024, the Federal Government inaugurated the Presidential Livestock Reforms Implementation Committee (PLRIC), chaired by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and co-chaired by Professor Attahiru Jega. Its report outlined urgent recommendations, including:
1. Transitioning from open grazing to managed ranching systems.
2. Expanding veterinary service delivery and infrastructure.
3. Creating investment incentives for value chain development.
4. Formalizing livestock traceability, health certification, and trade routes.
5. Strengthening collaboration between states, herders, farmers, and investors.
Niger State possesses vast grazing reserves, expansive land mass, pastoral populations, centrality in regional livestock markets, and institutional expertise, making it ideally placed to domesticate and implement core elements of the PLRIC report—setting the pace for national livestock transformation.
*Methodology Overview*
The NSLDTC has adopted a structured, 8-week, three-phase methodology that integrates global standards, national frameworks, and local participatory tools.
• Global Frameworks: OIE PVS Pathway (veterinary & food safety evaluation), FAO Climate-Smart Livestock Framework, One Health Tripartite Model.
• National/State Adaptations: Nigeria Livestock Transformation Plan (customized to Niger’s context), Katsina’s participatory grazing reserve model, Lagos’ PPP-driven meat value chain approach.
• Local Tools: Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) with key actors and subcommittee-specific SWOT analyses.
This approach ensures a context-driven, inclusive, and technically sound roadmap for livestock sector transformation in Niger State.
*Implementation Phases*
Phase 1: Diagnostic Evaluation (Weeks 1–4)
• Policy review, field assessments (animal health, grazing, markets), OIE competency scoring, GIS & PRA mapping.
Phase 2: Stakeholder Co-Design (Weeks 5–6)
• Consultations, zonal workshops, scenario planning (Lean vs. Enhanced Roadmap options).
Phase 3: Finalization & Presentation (Weeks 7–8)
• Synthesis of subcommittee reports, SEC presentation, validation, and publication.
*Institutional Structure – Subcommittees*
1. Animal Health
2. Animal Production & Breeding
3. Grazing & Range Management
4. Value Chain & Food Safety
⸻
This initiative is fully aligned with the New Niger Agenda championed by His Excellency, Farmer Governor Umaru Mohammed Bago, and reflects the administration’s commitment to modernizing agriculture, empowering communities, and driving sustainable development.
*Signed:*
Haruna Umar
P.A to Hon. Umar Ahmed Rebe
Former Hon. Commissioner, Ministry of Nomadic & Pastoral Affairs
(Jonwuron Minna)
12th September, 2025
