The Federal Ministry of Livestock Development has begun developing a framework to put the National Feed and Fodder Policy into practice, Minister Idi Mukhtar Maiha said at a three-day stakeholders' workshop that opened in Abuja on Monday, October 19, 2026, Daily Champion reported.
Feed and fodder account for about 70% of livestock production costs, the minister said. Seasonal shortages of pasture and water limit output and can fuel conflict between farmers and pastoralists.
From Grazing to Commercial Feed
Maiha called for a shift away from unmanaged natural grazing toward an "organised, commercially viable, climate-resilient feed and fodder system," according to Animal Business MEA. He urged greater use of crop by-products, especially rice straw, and named rice-producing communities in Kebbi, Niger, Jigawa and Benue as having significant potential. He also called for stronger fodder seed production and resilient grass varieties for Nigeria's ecological zones, Daily Champion reported.
Dr Hakeem Ibilade, Director of Ranch and Pastoral Resources Development, said the workshop would produce a national implementation framework, a roles and responsibilities matrix, a resource mobilisation strategy and a monitoring and evaluation framework. He said the aim is to tackle recurring dry-season feed shortages and move the policy from planning into practice.
Other measures discussed include community storage, early-warning systems for feed shortages and better access to finance, Animal Business MEA reported. The Sustainable Entrepreneurship-led Poultry Transformation Programme, run with the Mastercard Foundation, is helping young women process cassava peel into an alternative feed ingredient. The programme's consortium includes Christian Aid, Sahel Consulting, the International Livestock Research Institute, Animal Care, Amo Farms and Pullus Africa.
Poultry Farmers Seek Relief
Poultry industry stakeholders meeting in Abeokuta, Ogun State, called for urgent government help with production costs, feed prices, access to finance, day-old chick shortages, disease and insecurity, The Guardian reported on October 23, 2026. Feed accounts for about 75% of poultry production costs, the report said.
"If feed is not made available, it will be a challenge," said Dr Olalekan Odunsi, Chairman of the Nigerian Poultry Show, according to The Guardian. On credit, he asked: "How do we bring down the interest rate to a bearable amount?"
The 2026 Nigerian Poultry Show runs from November 3 to 5 at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library Complex, Abeokuta, with the theme "Building a Sustainable and Resilient Poultry Industry in Challenging Times." Organisers expect the Minister of Livestock Development and the Managing Director of the Bank of Agriculture to attend, along with exhibitors from the United States, Europe, China, India, Israel and Australia.
FoodPrices Nigeria tracks egg prices by the crate across Lagos markets. Feed is the largest cost in poultry farming, so changes in feed supply flow quickly into what households pay for eggs.