The Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support Project (L-PRES) says it is intensifying efforts to scale up annual vaccine production at the National Veterinary Research Institute (NVRI) from 150 million to 850 million doses.
The project noted that the initiative would significantly strengthen Nigeria’s capacity for local vaccine production and improve response to animal disease outbreaks.
National Project Coordinator of L-PRES, Dr Sanusi Abubakar, disclosed this on Wednesday on the sidelines of the project’s mid-term review meeting.
Abubakar said the project had also supported the establishment of a 40-million-dose strategic vaccine storage facility in the Federal Capital Territory, along with additional regional cold-chain infrastructure.
He stated that animal health interventions remain one of the strongest pillars of the project, revealing that more than 23.3 million animals had been vaccinated nationwide so far.
According to him, the vaccinations targeted diseases such as anthrax, Contagious Bovine Pleuropneumonia (CBPP), Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR), and Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD).
“The project has vaccinated over 10 million cattle, 9.1 million goats and sheep, and over 4.1 million poultry birds nationwide,” he said.
Abubakar added that L-PRES had constructed seven model veterinary hospitals, three of which have been completed and commissioned, while 13 others are at various stages of completion across participating states.
He noted that the facilities are improving access to veterinary care, strengthening disease surveillance systems, and enhancing livestock health service delivery across the country.
The coordinator further said the project is strengthening research, feed systems, and productivity infrastructure.
He disclosed that L-PRES had completed the rehabilitation of the National Feed Reference Laboratory at the University of Ibadan, while construction of additional laboratories had commenced at Nasarawa State University, Keffi, and the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia State.
Abubakar added that the project had upgraded seed multiplication facilities, hay barns, boreholes, and water systems at the National Animal Production Research Institute (NAPRI), Zaria.
He described feed constraints as a major challenge in livestock production and said the upgrades would improve pasture development and feed availability.
