The Federal Government says it is committed to harmonizing data in the livestock sector as part of efforts to reposition it for improved outcomes.
The Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Maiha, stated this while declaring open a multi-stakeholder workshop on Thursday in Abuja. The workshop focused on the National Livestock Data Baseline and the validation of the National Livestock Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Framework.
Maiha, represented by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Dr. Chinyere Akujobi, said data harmonization was critical for informed decision-making in national planning, monitoring livestock diseases, implementing intervention programmes and identifying investment opportunities.
“Data is an urgent national imperative. Without a unified livestock information architecture, we cannot measure the true scale of our national herd.
“We cannot track disease patterns with precision. We cannot design bankable livestock projects. We cannot attract investors who depend on reliable market intelligence, and we cannot hold ourselves accountable for results.
“Today’s workshop gives us the opportunity to change that narrative,” he said.
The minister said the government was building a future where Nigeria possesses a single, trusted source of livestock data for policymakers, researchers, the private sector and international partners.
He described the National Livestock M&E Framework as the backbone of the country’s data transformation agenda, noting that it was designed to strengthen accountability, improve transparency and track progress on sector-wide commitments.
Maiha added that the system was key to achieving President Bola Tinubu’s priorities on food security, job creation, revenue generation, improved project delivery and a stable livestock production environment under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
“This workshop is not about documents; it is about destiny. It is about our responsibility to future generations and about building a livestock sector that is smart, resilient, financially attractive and globally competitive,” he said.
He urged participants to help validate indicators, refine the baseline, define roles and outline next steps with a shared sense of urgency and purpose.
In her remarks, the Permanent Secretary said all departments, agencies and stakeholders were required to fully align with the National Livestock M&E Framework, noting that without harmonization, datasets from multiple platforms remained limited in value.
She said a harmonized system backed by accurate, timely and integrated livestock data would strengthen decision-making, enhance resource allocation and provide a solid basis for project appraisal, budgeting, strategic planning and investment readiness.
“This workshop provides a unique opportunity to refine our baseline methodology, validate our indicators, strengthen institutional roles and agree on a reliable reporting architecture for the livestock sector,” she added.
Josephine Okeke, Head of Programming and Delivery at De Olimage Company Limited, the ministry’s technical partner, said the M&E platform aims to integrate more than 400 indicators.
She explained that the indicators were drawn from the National Livestock Gas (NL Gas) strategic document and the Ministerial Performance Board, and would be consolidated into eight sectoral goals to measure results effectively.
Okeke added that the baseline study would serve as the foundation for tracking performance from 2025 to 2035, supporting Nigeria’s ambition for the livestock sector to contribute 74 billion dollars to the national Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
