WOAH Applauds Nigeria’s Veterinary Reforms, Backs Livestock Sector Transformation Agenda
By Pan Afric Reporters
The World Organisation for Animal Health has commended Nigeria for making significant progress in strengthening its veterinary services and animal health systems, describing recent reforms as evidence of growing institutional commitment to building a modern and globally competitive livestock sector.
The commendation followed the presentation of preliminary findings by the WOAH Performance of Veterinary Services Follow-Up Mission to the Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, in Abuja.
The development was contained in a statement issued by the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development and signed by Henrietta Okokon, Deputy Director, Information and Public Relations.
Receiving the WOAH delegation at the ministry’s headquarters, Maiha described the findings as a valuable guide for strengthening Nigeria’s veterinary architecture and accelerating ongoing reforms in the livestock sector.
He expressed appreciation to the international body for acknowledging the Federal Government’s efforts and pledged that recommendations from the mission would be integrated into ongoing initiatives aimed at enhancing animal health security and boosting livestock productivity.
“We may not be there yet, but we are on the right track. We are committed, disciplined and courageous. We do not feel ashamed of our weaknesses and we do not exaggerate our strengths. The way forward is to acknowledge our weaknesses and work deliberately to address them,” the minister said.
Maiha disclosed that Nigeria’s livestock development agenda had gained considerable traction nationwide, noting that more than 18 states now operate livestock-focused ministries and institutions, compared to only three states before the establishment of the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development.
According to him, the ministry remains committed to building an integrated veterinary system involving federal, state and local governments as well as private sector stakeholders, with emphasis on disease surveillance, emergency preparedness, laboratory strengthening and eradication of priority animal diseases.
“The recommendations arising from this mission will be carefully reviewed and incorporated into our ongoing reforms aimed at strengthening veterinary services, improving animal health security and positioning Nigeria as a competitive player in regional and global livestock markets,” he added.
Earlier, leader of the WOAH delegation, Bouna Diop, said the mission observed substantial progress since previous evaluations.
He cited the creation of the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development, the development and validation of the National Roadmap for Veterinary Services (2026–2036), and stronger collaboration with state veterinary directorates as key indicators of progress.
According to Diop, the roadmap addresses critical areas such as institutional capacity building, coordinated vaccination programmes, digital transformation, workforce development, public-private partnerships and the One Health approach.
“Our assessment indicates that Nigeria has made significant progress and is moving in the right direction. The challenge is no longer the absence of policy intent but the translation of strategy into adequately resourced implementation across all levels,” he stated.
Despite the positive assessment, the WOAH team identified several areas requiring additional attention, particularly at the sub-national level.
These include veterinary workforce distribution, operational funding, laboratory capacity, disease surveillance systems, emergency preparedness and field mobility.
The delegation recommended the development of a dedicated implementation plan for the Veterinary Services Roadmap, stronger support for state veterinary services, and increased investment in disease surveillance networks, laboratory infrastructure and workforce development.
The PVS Follow-Up Mission forms part of Nigeria’s broader efforts to benchmark its veterinary services against international standards and strengthen the country’s capacity to manage animal health challenges while expanding opportunities within the livestock value chain.
Stakeholders say the positive assessment from WOAH is expected to boost confidence in Nigeria’s livestock reform agenda and support efforts to attract greater investment into the sector.
