By Julius Peter, Abuja

The Federal Government has identified the availability of affordable, nutritious and quality livestock feed throughout the year as a critical requirement for improving animal productivity and building a more competitive and sustainable livestock industry in Nigeria.

The Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, stated this on Thursday, September 10, 2026, at the launch of Olam Agri’s TrueValue Cattle Feed in Kaduna.

Maiha said adequate nutrition was essential to unlocking the genetic potential of Nigeria’s livestock, stressing that improved genetics alone could not deliver optimal productivity without corresponding improvements in animal nutrition.

“Good genetics must be matched with good nutrition if we are to achieve optimal growth for milk production, fertility, animal health, and overall farm productivity,” the minister said.

According to him, feed constitutes one of the major costs of livestock production, making its quality, affordability and availability crucial to the profitability and sustainability of livestock enterprises.

He explained that inadequate or poor-quality feed could negatively affect animal growth, health, reproduction and survivability, while reliable access to nutritionally balanced feed would enable farmers to achieve better production outcomes.

The minister noted that ensuring year-round availability of livestock feed, whether through fodder, crop residues or concentrated feeds, was fundamental to sustainable livestock production and had broader implications for Nigeria’s food security, economic development and peaceful management of livestock.

He said the introduction and wider availability of quality concentrate feeds would be particularly important in developing commercial feedlot systems for cattle and other livestock.

Maiha explained that when concentrate feeds were properly combined with quality fodder, clean water and sound animal husbandry practices, they could improve feed conversion, accelerate weight gain and reduce the time required to finish animals for the market.

“This will enable farmers to take healthier and better-finished animals to market,” he said.

The minister further stressed that the development of a stronger feed industry would have a multiplier effect across the livestock value chain, stimulating investments in feedlots, abattoirs, meat processing, packaging, transportation and marketing.

He said a reliable supply of quality feed would help ensure that cattle, sheep and goats supplied to abattoirs were healthier and of better quality, thereby strengthening the country’s meat production and processing industry.

“A more productive and reliable feed industry will ensure the regular supply of quality cattle, sheep, and goats to our abattoirs. It will also encourage investment in modern feedlots, slaughter facilities, meat processing, culture infrastructure, packaging, branding, transportation, and marketing,” Maiha said.

The minister called for a coordinated approach to the development of Nigeria’s feed and fodder industry, saying the sector required collaboration among all stakeholders across the livestock and agricultural value chains.

He identified fodder producers, crop farmers, commercial feed manufacturers, livestock producers, research institutions, financial institutions and processors as critical partners in developing a sustainable feed ecosystem.

Maiha also emphasised the importance of strengthening feed testing and appropriate ration formulation, as well as improving certification of commercial feeds and quality assurance mechanisms.

He called for stronger measures to prevent and control contaminants in livestock feed while urging increased production, preservation and conservation of quality fodder to address seasonal shortages.

According to him, such measures would help build a dependable feed supply system capable of supporting livestock producers throughout the year.

The minister commended Olam Agri for its investment in Nigeria’s livestock sector, describing the launch of TrueValue Cattle Feed as a practical contribution to the Federal Government’s efforts to modernise livestock production and establish a productive, commercially viable and sustainable industry.

He, however, urged the company to ensure that the product remained accessible and affordable to livestock farmers, particularly smallholder producers.

Maiha also encouraged Olam Agri to complement the introduction of the product with farmer training, feeding demonstrations and closer collaboration with research and regulatory institutions.

Speaking at the event, Olam Agri’s President and Global Head of Animal Feeds and Proteins Business, Sharad Gupta, said the company was leveraging its established animal feed business and distribution network to introduce TrueValue Cattle Feed into the Nigerian market.

Gupta explained that although the company’s cattle feed distribution network was still being developed, Olam Agri would leverage its existing network of feed dealers while also partnering with established players in the cattle industry who have direct relationships with livestock farmers.

He said the company’s strategy was focused on achieving scale and competitive pricing rather than producing limited quantities of feed and selling them at high prices.

“We are not looking to make small quantities and sell them at high price. We are looking to make large quantities and keep them very, very tightly competitively priced,” Gupta said.

He explained that Olam Agri intended to leverage its scale in sourcing, processing and distribution to achieve greater efficiencies and ultimately pass the benefits to livestock farmers.

Gupta disclosed that the company already sources more than 90 per cent of the raw materials required for its existing poultry feed business locally in Nigeria.

He listed corn, soy, rice bran, groundnut cake, minerals and limestone among the locally sourced inputs used in the company’s feed production.

According to him, Olam Agri’s wheat milling operations also provide access to wheat bran, which is an important ingredient in the production of feed for ruminants such as cattle, sheep and goats.

The company’s move into cattle feed production is therefore expected to strengthen the integration between crop production, feed manufacturing and livestock production, while creating additional opportunities for farmers and other players within the agricultural value chain.

The Federal Government’s renewed emphasis on feed availability comes amid efforts to transform Nigeria’s livestock sector from predominantly traditional production systems into a more productive and commercially oriented industry.

Reliable access to quality feed is considered essential to improving animal weight gain, milk production, reproductive performance and overall herd productivity.

For cattle producers, the expansion of commercial feedlot operations could also support more efficient finishing systems, enabling animals to reach market weight within shorter periods while improving the consistency and quality of meat supplied to consumers.

The development of the feed industry could equally create new opportunities for crop farmers by increasing demand for maize, soybean, rice bran, groundnut cake and other feed ingredients.

It could also stimulate investments in storage, transportation, processing and other supporting services.

Stakeholders at the event are expected to view the launch as part of the broader drive to build stronger linkages between crop and livestock production, reduce seasonal feed shortages and improve the economic viability of livestock farming.

For the Federal Government, achieving a dependable year-round feed supply remains central to its objective of increasing livestock productivity, strengthening food security and developing a modern livestock industry capable of supporting economic growth and investment.