FG Moves to Cut Livestock Emissions in New Climate Plan
The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to responsible development and its role in tackling climate change, as it moves towards net-zero emissions through a climate-sensitive plan for the livestock sector.
The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Livestock Development, Dr Chinyere Akujobi, disclosed this on Thursday, April 24, 2026, while declaring open a Stakeholders Engagement Workshop on the Development of a Climate-Sensitive Development Plan for the Nigeria Livestock Growth Acceleration Strategy (NL-GAS) in Abuja.
Dr Akujobi described the workshop as timely and critical, calling it a decisive step toward integrating climate-sensitive planning into the livestock strategy for both mitigation and adaptation to climate vulnerability.
“This strategy is not just about increasing livestock numbers or boosting production figures. It is about transforming an entire ecosystem into one that is efficient, inclusive, resilient, and globally competitive,” she said.
“The objective of this forum is to move from subsistence-based livestock practices to a modern, commercially viable system that delivers value across the entire chain,” Akujobi added.
In a statement issued by the Deputy Director, Press and Public Relations, Henrietta Okokon, the Permanent Secretary noted that adopting climate-smart livestock practices would enable Nigeria to significantly reduce emissions while improving productivity.
She emphasized the sector’s importance: “The livestock sector in Nigeria is a lifeline for millions of households and remains a cornerstone of our rural economy. From pastoralists in the North to smallholder farmers nationwide, livestock represents income, nutrition, and cultural identity. It contributes 3–5% to Nigeria’s GDP, with a current estimated value of $32 billion, while supporting the livelihoods of millions of Nigerians directly and indirectly.”
Dr Akujobi added that beyond the numbers lies “a deeper narrative of the rich potential in each livestock value chain — leather, dairy, eggs and meat, processing, distribution and cold-chain, veterinary practices, and services.”
“These are precisely what the National Livestock Growth Acceleration Strategy (NL-GAS) is designed to optimize in the face of climate variability, land degradation, and population pressures that are reshaping the livestock ecosystem,” she said.
In his presentation, Dr Alike Peter, Director Technical in the Office of the Permanent Secretary, explained that the strategic objective of the forum was to develop a plan outlining faster, more effective techniques to ramp up productivity.
He described NL-GAS as transformational, stating: “Until now, livestock has only been viewed lightly from an animal perspective. NL-GAS has brought livestock and the nation into a value-chain driven sector.”
Earlier in her goodwill message, Dr Laura Cramer, Scientist with the Livestock, Climate and Environmental Programme at the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Kenya, assured the forum of ILRI’s willingness to partner with the Ministry on a climate-sensitive implementation plan for NL-GAS.
The workshop also featured goodwill messages from GIZ and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Participants were drawn from SAHEL Consulting, the National Council on Climate Change (NCCC), Christian Aid, the Federal Ministry of Environment, and the Ministry’s Technical Working Group (TWG), among others.
