FG Moves to Regulate Donkey Trade, Boost Industry Through Strategic Partnerships
By Onwe Wisdom, Pan Afric Reporters
The Federal Ministry of Livestock Development has announced plans to strengthen Nigeria’s donkey industry through strategic collaboration with stakeholders, while taking decisive steps to curb illegal activities threatening the sector’s sustainability.
The disclosure was contained in a press statement issued by Henrietta Okokon, Deputy Director of Press and Public Relations Unit of the Ministry, following a meeting between the Honourable Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, and the National Association of Donkey Farmers of Nigeria on April 9, 2026.
Maiha подчеркed the critical role donkeys play in rural economies, noting that beyond their use in tourism, they remain essential to transportation, smallholder agriculture, and livelihoods in many communities across the country.
“Donkeys play a very crucial role in rural communities in terms of supporting transportation, smallholder agriculture and means of livelihoods,” the minister said. “Their use goes beyond tourism, where people just come, ride and pay a token fee.”
The minister stressed the need for deeper engagement with stakeholders to better understand the challenges and opportunities within the sector. “We need to understand from your Association the major challenges and opportunities in the donkey business so that we can be in a proper position to support you,” he added.
He further revealed plans by the Ministry to collaborate with donkey users and farmers to address key issues, including disease management, noting that donkey species in Nigeria differ from those found in North Africa.
Maiha also called for the development of comprehensive literature on donkey farming to guide prospective investors, particularly in the area of value addition such as skin processing for export.
On the issue of illegality, the minister expressed concern over long-standing unregulated markets. “There is one market in one of the states where donkeys have been sold illegally for more than 15 to 20 years now. We are trying to look at the legislation behind this in order to stop illegality in the sector,” he said.
Earlier, the President of the National Association of Donkey Farmers of Nigeria, Abubakar Kagu, raised alarm over the declining donkey population in the country, attributing it to uncontrolled slaughter, illegal trade, and the absence of structured breeding and conservation programmes.
“The donkey population in Nigeria has been under increasing pressure due to uncontrolled slaughtering, illegal trade and absence of structured breeding, conservation and management programmes,” Kagu stated.
He called on the federal government to support the conservation and development of the sector through clear policy frameworks and the establishment of breeding and multiplication centres in key producing zones.
Kagu also commended the Ministry’s ongoing efforts to promote livestock development, particularly in donkey production and management, expressing optimism that the proposed partnership would reposition the sector for sustainable growth.
