The National Economic Council (NEC) has called for an end to Nigeria’s traditional livestock rearing methods, stressing the need to transition to modern systems to address worsening farmer-herder conflicts.
Chaired by Vice President Kashim Shettima, the Council made this recommendation during its Thursday meeting at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. The call comes amid renewed violence in parts of the country, including Plateau, Benue, and Kwara States, where suspected gunmen have killed dozens in recent weeks.
Briefing journalists after the meeting, Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri said the Council concluded that outdated livestock practices were a major cause of the clashes between farmers and herders.
“We cannot continue to live in the past,” Diri said. “Council agreed that Nigeria must now work towards modernising livestock production.”
He added that the newly established Ministry of Livestock Development has introduced an Accelerated Livestock Development and Growth Strategy, aiming to grow the sector’s revenue to between $70 billion and $90 billion by 2035.
The recurring violence, particularly in Nigeria’s Middle Belt, often carries religious and ethnic undertones, with nomadic Muslim Fulani herders and largely Christian farmers clashing over land access.
Plateau State has seen especially brutal attacks in recent weeks, with local authorities referring to the killings as “genocide sponsored by terrorists.” Critics argue such rhetoric oversimplifies the root causes, which include land disputes, poor governance, and climate pressures.
The Council’s recommendation underscores a growing consensus that reforming livestock production is essential not only for agricultural development but also for national security and peaceful coexistence.