Tinubu Unveils Cattle Breeding Centres, Livestock Ministry to Curb Clashes

Tinubu Unveils Cattle Breeding Centres, Livestock Ministry to Curb Clashes

By Abiola Adigun

In a bold move aimed at transforming Nigeria’s livestock sector and ending decades of bloody farmer-herder conflicts, the Federal Government has announced plans to establish cattle breeding centres across the country’s six geo-political zones, alongside the operational rollout of the newly created Ministry of Livestock Development.
The twin announcements came during the ongoing citizens–government engagement and midterm assessment of the Tinubu administration, hosted by the Sir Ahmadu Bello Foundation at Arewa House, Kaduna.
Minister of State for Agriculture, Dr. Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, said the breeding centres will serve as hubs for modern animal husbandry, improved cattle genetics, and better productivity, while reducing the need for open grazing that often fuels violent clashes.
“The synergy and collaboration of the Ministries of Agriculture, Environment, Water Resources, Livestock Development, and the Blue Economy are imperative for delivering on the Renewed Hope Agenda,” Abdullahi stated, noting that the project will integrate modern ranching models with sustainable environmental practices.
The Minister stressed that the breeding centres are part of a holistic agricultural transformation plan, which also involves expanding irrigation for fodder cultivation, upgrading veterinary services, and training pastoralists in modern techniques.
Prof. Attahiru Jega, Co-Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Livestock Reforms, provided further insight into the government’s strategy, describing the creation of the Ministry of Livestock Development as a “game-changer” for Nigeria’s rural economy and national security.
“The Ministry is central to President Bola Tinubu’s blueprint for transforming the sector,” Jega said. “Our approach is devoid of political considerations and anchored on inclusive stakeholder engagement—encompassing state governments, traditional rulers, pastoral communities, and other critical actors.”
Nigeria’s farmer-herder clashes—driven by competition over shrinking land and water resources—have claimed thousands of lives in the past decade, displacing farming and pastoralist communities alike. According to International Crisis Group data, the violence, concentrated in the North Central, has spread southwards, threatening food production and national cohesion.
Security analysts and agricultural economists have long argued that the absence of modern livestock infrastructure—such as ranches, grazing reserves, and feedlots—has perpetuated the nomadic lifestyle of many herders, heightening tensions with sedentary farmers.
The new breeding centres, combined with the Livestock Ministry’s mandate, aim to address these root causes. Government officials say the initiative will also tap into Nigeria’s estimated ₦33 trillion livestock economy, boosting exports of dairy, beef, leather, and related products.
Stakeholders in Kaduna welcomed the plan but cautioned that its success hinges on political will, funding, and security.
Alhaji Bello Gidado, a traditional ruler from Plateau State, told reporters at the event:
“If the breeding centres are implemented faithfully, and herders are given real alternatives, the clashes will reduce drastically. But the government must ensure fairness to all sides and involve local leaders.”
With the Federal Government promising inclusive consultations and multi-ministry collaboration, the Kaduna forum signaled a decisive shift from ad-hoc conflict responses to long-term structural reforms in Nigeria’s livestock sector.