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Nigeria Yet To Meet Demand For Meat

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12 years ago

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The Director, Livestock Department, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Joseph Nyager,  has said that Nigeria has 1.2 million tons of unmet demand for meat.

The figure represents more than 70 per cent of the total of 1.7 million tons of unmet meat demand in the West African sub-region.

Nyager made the disclosure in a paper titled: “Improving Milk and Meat Production in Nigeria’’, presented at a diary and meat summit in Jos recently.

The summit, which was organised in collaboration with the Plateau State Government, is part of the strategy towards successful agricultural transformation in Nigeria.

The director, who is also the chief veterinary officer in the ministry, added that there was equally a wide gap of 700,000 metric tons between domestically produced milk and internal demand.

“These deficits are met by importation which is detrimental to the growth of the industry because a large percentage of the rural poor earn more than 50 per cent of their income from livestock.

“As a result of these developments, the meat and dairy value chains has been identified as a priority area of the intervention by the Federal Government.

“The intervention will increase production and productivity, reduce dependence and improve the income of actors in the value chain, particularly the small holders.’’

Nyager explained that to be able to achieve this, the Federal Government was focusing on the development of six priority value chain of meat from cow, pig, sheep, goats, poultry and diary.

He said the ministry had recently directed the inclusion and commencement for the Growth Enhancement Scheme (GES) into these value chains to provide a cushion for farmers.

“These could be done through the provision of critical livestock inputs such as supplementary feed and salt licks at a discount rate in order to improve production and productivity.

“The Federal Government has also engaged the services of a reputable consultant to develop a comprehensive strategy for the transformation of the meat industry, particularly beef, into a valuable venture,’’ he added.

The expert said that the ministry was collaborating with the private sector to strengthen the National Animal Production Research Institute (NAPRI) to develop and commercialise Shika Brown to provide day-old chicks to poultry farmers at a cheaper rate.

“This is expected to position the beef industry to process and provide wholesome meat and meat products at affordable prices to Nigerians and for export,’’ he stated.

For the diary sector, Nyager said that the ministry was collaborating with West African Milk Company (WAMCO) to set up milk collection centres in Oyo State and FCT.

He said that six milk collection centres had already been established in Wasimi, in Oyo state, adding that inventory of diary infrastructures have been completed in Kaduna, Kano, Niger, Adamawa, Nasarawa and Oyo States, and the FCT.

According to him, the steps are in preparation for the take-off of a Diary Development Programme in 2013, in order to increase productivity and prepare breed improvements through artificial insemination.

“We have already commenced the selection of farmers and cattle for this programme,’’ he disclosed.

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NPA Assures On Staff Welfare 

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2 weeks ago

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June 27, 2025

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The Managing Director, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho, has said the management will continue to accompany its port infrastructure  and equipment  modernization drive  with the development of the welfare of its personnel.
Dantsoho made the disclosure recently while responding to the commendation by the Maritime Workers Union (MWUN) and the senior Staff Association of Statutory Corporations and Government-Owned Companies (SSASGOC) on the  clearing  of the age-long problem of employee stagnation, when the union paid him a courtesy visit at the Authority’s headquarters in Lagos.
A Statement by NPA’s General Manager Corporate & Strategic Communications, Mr. Ikechukwu Onyemekara, quoted Dantsoho as saying,  “our Port infrastructure and equipment modernization drive will go hand-in-hand with continuous staff welfare improvement”.
The NPA MD disclosed that human capital development constitutes the key strategy for creating and sustaining superior performance under his watch, adding that “talent development constitutes a critical success factor for the actualization of the big hairy audacious goals we have set for ourselves especially in the area of Port competitiveness.
“The only way we can meet and indeed exceed stakeholders’ expectations is to deepen the competencies of our human resources assets and boosting their morale.”
Speaking further, Dantsoho commended the Honourable Minister of Marine & Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, for approving the strategic proposal of the Dantsoho-led Management team that solved the over a decade-long problem of lack of promotion that had fuelled industrial disharmony.
“I must specially appreciate our amiable Minister for graciously approving the multi-pronged stratagem we deployed that cleared all outstanding cases of employee stagnation by conducting examinations in one fell swoop and instituted timelines to forestall a recurrence of such anomaly”, he sad.
Speaking on behalf of the joint maritime labour unions, the President  of Senior Staff Association of Statutory Corporations & Government-Owned Companies (SSASCGOC), Comrade Bodunde stated, “In addition to clearance of the backlog of stagnated promotions, we also wish to express our appreciation for the increase in productivity bonuses, provision of end-of-year welfare packages for staff, and the revision of the Financial Guide to the Condition of Service, which now addresses our members’ concerns about inflationary pressures.”
Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos
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ANLCA Chieftain Emerges FELCBA’s VP

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2 weeks ago

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June 27, 2025

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National Secretary of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Elder Olumide Fakanlu, has been elected Vice President of the Federation of ECOWAS Licensed Customs Brokers Association (FELCBA).
The election took place during the FELCBA Congress, held from Tuesday, June 17th to Thursday, June 19th, 2025, in Freetown, Sierra Leone.
Fakanlu’s emergence as Vice President marks a significant achievement for Nigeria within the regional customs brokerage community.
Apart from Fakanlu, Secretary of the Seme Chapter of ANLCA, Austin Nwosu, was also elected, securing the role of Secretary of Relations with Institutions.
The Nigerian delegation played an active role in the congress, with Michael Ebeatu nominated as a member of the electoral officer team, ensuring a fair and transparent election process.
The three-day congress concluded with delegates undertaking a visit to the Sierra Leone Port, offering insights into the host nation’s maritime operations, followed by a recreational trip to the Tokeh Beach.
The newly elected executives are expected to lead FELCBA in its efforts to harmonize customs brokerage practices, promote trade facilitation, and advocate for the interests of licensed customs brokers across the ECOWAS sub-region.
Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos
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NSC, Police Boost Partnership On Port Enforcement 

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2 weeks ago

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June 27, 2025

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In a bid to enhance more enforcement in the nation’s Port, the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) has reaffirmed its commitment to stronger inter-agency collaboration with the Nigeria Police Force (NPF).
The Council said the collaboration is aimed at enhancing stronger enforcement, compliance and improve operational efficiency across Nigeria’s ports.
Executive Secretary/Chief Executive Officer of  NSC, Dr. Pius Akutah, made this known during a visit to the  Inspector-General of Police, Dr. Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, at the Force Headquarters, Abuja.
The visit, which he said, focused on strengthening institutional synergy, comes in the wake of growing responsibilities for the NSC under the newly created Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy.
Akutah emphasized the critical role of security agencies in supporting port operations and ensuring regulatory compliance.
He called for the posting of police officers to assist the Council’s monitoring and enforcement teams at key port locations including Lagos, Warri, Onne, Port Harcourt, and Calabar.
“The posting will complement the activities of our revived task teams and enhance our ability to enforce standards across the maritime logistics chain”, he said.
Earlier, the Inspector-General of Police, Dr. Egbetokun, assured the Council of the Force’s readiness to continue supporting the growth of the maritime sector.
The IGP acknowledged that compliance enforcement is essential to the successful implementation of Nigeria’s Blue Economy objectives.
“The NSC and NPF are expected to deepen collaboration in the months ahead, with a shared focus on building a secure, efficient, and competitive port environment”, to the IGP emphasized.
Chinedu Wosu
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