Aug 15, 2026

FG Targets Youth and Women Jobs via Livestock Value Chains Expansion

By Afolabi Olaiya Idowu in news

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Abuja, Nigeria – August 15, 2026—The Federal Government is intensifying efforts to create sustainable employment for Nigerian youths and women by unlocking opportunities across the livestock value chain, the Presidency announced on Saturday.

In an official X (Twitter) post released by the Presidency, the Minister of Livestock Development, Hon. Idi Mukhtar Maiha, identified key areas—including meat, dairy, leather, feed production, animal health, and processing—as ready pathways for job creation and economic empowerment.

Building Inclusive Opportunities

The initiative forms part of the broader drive to modernize Nigeria’s livestock sector under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

Officials say the sector holds significant potential to absorb large numbers of young people and women into productive enterprises, from primary production to value addition and services.

Technical Adviser to the Vice President on Women, Youth Engagement and Impact, Hajiya Hauwa Lima, disclosed that the upcoming Arewa Agric and Innovative Summit (AAIS) 2026 will provide targeted support to about 500 Nigerian youth and women entrepreneurs.

Stakeholders and development partners are expected to collaborate at the summit to accelerate sustainable growth in the livestock industry.

A Sector with Growing Ambition

Nigeria’s livestock industry has been identified as a critical engine for food security, rural development, and wealth creation.

Recent government strategies aim to expand the sector’s contribution to the economy substantially while addressing long-standing challenges such as low productivity, limited access to finance, and inadequate infrastructure.

By focusing deliberately on youth and women, authorities hope to ensure that the benefits of transformation reach those often under-represented in formal agribusiness.

Past interventions have already included training programmes, distribution of breeding stock and plans for larger-scale empowerment schemes targeting tens of thousands of beneficiaries in dairy and other value chains.

As the Arewa Agric and Innovative Summit approaches, expectations are high that concrete partnerships and financing commitments will emerge to turn identified opportunities into real jobs and businesses.

For many young Nigerians and women seeking meaningful livelihoods, the livestock value chain is increasingly being positioned as a viable and scalable alternative.

The Federal Ministry of Livestock Development continues to engage state governments, private investors, and development partners to translate policy ambitions into measurable results on the ground.