The Federal Government has tasked the Technical Working Group on Contagious Bovine Pleuro-Pneumonia (CBPP) to intensify nationwide vaccination efforts aimed at eradicating the disease across Nigeria.
CBPP is a bacterial cattle disease that causes severe pneumonia, often proves fatal, and results in significant livestock production losses globally. Its outbreaks threaten food security, safe trade, and cattle production in endemic African countries.
The Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Maiha, made the call during the inauguration of the Technical Working Group on CBPP on Friday in Abuja. He decried that CBPP remains endemic in Nigeria, challenging the country’s goal of a productive, resilient, and globally competitive livestock sector.
Maiha noted that with over 50 million cattle, Nigeria has one of Africa’s largest herds, placing a significant responsibility on the government to manage animal health risks effectively.
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“The epidemiological situation in 2025 underscores the urgency. At least some states have reported CBPP outbreaks, now cutting across all geopolitical zones, with 131 officially documented outbreaks,” he said.
He described the committee as a focused, high-level technical platform to provide strategic direction for CBPP control. The group is expected to develop a national control framework, strengthen surveillance, improve vaccination programs, and modernize emergency response systems for rapid containment of outbreaks.
Maiha emphasized learning from other African countries such as Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Namibia, which are CBPP-free, to adopt effective strategies.
He added, “Sustainable progress will depend on stronger coordination across federal and state structures, collaboration with the private sector, and deeper engagement with international partners. Government action alone is insufficient; the scale and complexity of CBPP require a shared commitment from all livestock sector actors.”
