Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Livestock Development has restated its readiness to partner with the World Bank Group and the African Development Bank (AFDB) to address climate change challenges in Nigeria’s livestock sector while unlocking opportunities for sustainable growth, resilience and inclusive development.
Dr. Chinyere Akujobi, the Permanent Secretary, stated this when she received a delegation from the World Bank Mission and the African Development Bank alongside members of the Technical Working Group on Climate Change in Abuja on Tuesday, 3rd February, 2026.
A statement by Assistant Chief Executive Officer Information of the ministry, Ogochukwu Igboamalu, the Permanent Secretary explained that the proposed collaboration aligns with the Ministry’s strategic mandate to mitigate the adverse impacts of climate change on livestock production, safeguard livelihoods and promote environmentally responsible practices across the value chain, with particular emphasis on addressing the effects of global warming.
Represented by the Director, Planning, Research and Statistics (PRS), Mr. Ohaeri Stephen Ezenwa, the Permanent Secretary noted that the livestock sector remains a critical pillar of Nigeria’s economy, contributing significantly to food security, nutrition, employment and rural livelihoods.
“Despite its importance, the sector is highly vulnerable to climate variability and change, with far-reaching implications for animal health, feed and water availability, productivity, greenhouse gas emissions and overall sustainability,” she said.
According to her, these realities underscore the urgent need for evidence-based policies, reliable data systems and coordinated national action to drive climate-smart livestock development.
In his presentation, the Director (Technical), in the Office of the Permanent Secretary, and Team Lead of the Technical Working Group on Climate Change, Dr. Alike Peter, explained that the Technical Working Group on Climate Change was established to support the ambitious National Livestock Growth Acceleration Strategy, which targets doubling the sector’s contribution to GDP from about $32 billion to $74 billion within ten years.
He noted that whether growth is achieved through improved efficiency of existing stock or expansion in livestock numbers, both pathways have direct implications for greenhouse gas emissions, as well as feed, water and land-use management, making climate considerations central to livestock development planning.
Dr. Alike further explained that the Working Group is prioritising evidence-based national data on short-lived climate pollutants, particularly methane and nitrous oxide, to guide policy and decision-making.
To this end, the Ministry is collaborating with partners such as the World Bank to measure methane using FAO-approved models and direct measurement approaches, while working closely with the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) to ensure methodological rigour and national ownership of data.
Story was adapted from Daily Sun.
