FG Moves to Strengthen Animal Health System, Targets PPR Eradication With New Veterinary Evaluation Committee
By Onwe Wisdom, Pan Afric Reporters
The Federal Government has intensified efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s animal health system and combat the deadly Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR) disease with the inauguration of a Technical Working Committee for the proposed Performance of Veterinary Services (PVS) Evaluation Mission in the country.
The initiative, spearheaded by the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development, is aimed at improving veterinary governance, enhancing disease surveillance and response systems, and boosting food security and livestock productivity nationwide.
The development was disclosed in a press statement issued by the Deputy Director of Press and Public Relations at the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development, Henrietta Okokon, following the inauguration ceremony held in Abuja on May 6, 2026.
Speaking during the inauguration, the Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, described the move as a major milestone in Nigeria’s drive to reposition its veterinary services for improved performance, resilience, and global relevance.
According to the Minister, the proposed PVS Evaluation Mission, scheduled for June 2026, will focus particularly on Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR), a highly contagious disease affecting small ruminants and threatening the livelihoods of farmers across the country.
“This event marks another significant step in our collective commitment to strengthening veterinary governance, improving animal health systems, safeguarding livelihoods, and enhancing food security in the country,” Maiha stated.
He explained that Nigeria previously underwent a PVS evaluation in 2019, which exposed critical gaps within the country’s veterinary system, adding that the government has since implemented reforms to improve service delivery and disease control mechanisms.
“This follow-up mission is therefore not merely a routine exercise, but an opportunity to demonstrate progress, validate reforms, and identify areas that require further strengthening,” the Minister said.
Maiha stressed that PPR remains a major economic and food security threat, particularly for smallholder livestock farmers, noting that Nigeria’s commitment to the global eradication of the disease must go beyond policy declarations.
“PPR remains a disease of significant economic and food security importance, particularly for smallholder farmers. Our commitment to the global eradication of PPR must therefore be reflected not only in policy, but in measurable capacity across surveillance, vaccination, diagnosis, and response systems,” he said.
The Minister tasked the newly inaugurated committee with developing a clear roadmap and work plan for the evaluation process, coordinating stakeholder engagements, facilitating data gathering, identifying operational gaps, and ensuring effective collaboration with the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH).
He also emphasized the broader implications of strengthening veterinary services, linking it directly to public health, food safety, economic growth, and national development.
“Strengthening veterinary services is not merely an animal health issue, but a direct link to public health, food safety, economic stability, trade opportunities, and national development,” Maiha noted.
“Effective veterinary systems are indispensable to the One Health approach, particularly in an era where emerging and re-emerging diseases continue to pose global threats.”
The Minister commended international partners, technical agencies, state governments, veterinary professionals, and frontline animal health workers for sustaining disease prevention and control efforts across Nigeria.
He thereafter formally inaugurated the Technical Working Committee for the proposed Performance of Veterinary Services Evaluation Mission with special focus on Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR).
