By Newspot Nigeria News Desk
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to transforming Nigeria’s dairy and livestock sector, stating that the country is on track to drastically reduce milk imports and boost local production. The President made this known on Wednesday, October 29, 2025, at the Arla-Dano Open Day, held at Arla Farms in Damau, Kubau Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
Addressing industry stakeholders, investors, development partners, and farmers, President Tinubu commended Arla Foods for establishing a state-of-the-art dairy production facility in Kaduna, describing it as a model of successful backward integration and a strategic step toward national food security and rural economic development.
“Nigeria produces just 0.7 million litres of milk annually, which is far below our nutritional needs. Yet we spend more than $1.5 billion every year importing milk and dairy products,” the President said. “This is a paradox we must correct, and initiatives like Arla Farms are key to changing the narrative.”
He highlighted that despite Nigeria’s large cattle population, milk production remains low due to outdated dairy practices and low-yield breeds, with indigenous cows producing an average of only 0.5 to 1.5 litres of milk per day. In contrast, the global average stands at 6.6 litres daily.
The President emphasized that the creation of the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development was a deliberate move to unlock the potential of the livestock value chain, reduce dependence on imports, address farmer-herder conflicts, and improve nutrition across households.
President Tinubu praised Kaduna State’s Damau Household Milk Farm project, which has settled 1,000 households and provided improved breeds, pasture, veterinary support, and other amenities, with Arla serving as the off-taker for milk produced. He also acknowledged the Danish Government’s support for climate-resilient dairy development through ongoing partnership projects.
Speaking on broader agricultural reform, the President referenced the EU-VACE TARED €18.3 million facility launched in September to support climate-smart agriculture across livestock and key crop value chains. He also disclosed that international engagements have secured a $2.5 billion commitment to establish six modern meat-processing factories across the country in partnership with global agribusiness leaders, including JBS.
“As we stand with Arla-Dano, your investments align perfectly with our Renewed Hope Agenda,” the President stated. “We are determined to make Nigeria self-sufficient in dairy and livestock production. The future of agriculture in our country is bright.”
The President assured investors of continued policy support through the National Livestock Growth Acceleration Strategy, promising a stable investment climate and improved agribusiness infrastructure.
He urged stakeholders and the public to continue supporting local dairy farmers, noting that “behind every glass of milk is a network of hardworking Nigerians whose livelihoods we must uplift.”
The Arla-Dano Open Day brought together government officials, smallholder farmers, dairy cooperatives, private sector operators, and international partners to showcase innovations in dairy production, capacity-building, and livestock sustainability.
Newspot Nigeria monitored the event and will continue to track developments in Nigeria’s livestock and agricultural transformation agenda.
