The Federal Government has reaffirmed plans to transform Plateau State into a leading livestock production, research and processing hub through investments in ranching, feedlots, dairy and grazing reserve rehabilitation. The Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, set out the vision at a livestock stakeholders meeting in Jos, describing the state as Nigeria's livestock knowledge capital for more than a century, according to the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation.
A Ranch at Wase
At the centre of the plan is the Wase Grazing Reserve, which holds over 100,000 hectares of arable land. During an inspection visit, the Minister disclosed that the Ministry intends to allocate roughly 30,000 hectares within the reserve to the Defence Headquarters, comprising the Army, Air Force and Navy, to establish large-scale grazing and livestock production, as the Ministry reported. He said a single livestock enterprise of that scale could generate more than 10,000 direct and indirect jobs.
Beyond Beef
The roadmap extends past cattle. The Minister announced plans to expand abattoir capacity to process up to 500 cattle and 500 pigs daily, and to promote feedlot development for cattle, sheep, goat and pig fattening across the state, according to the Ministry. On dairy, he pointed to a partnership with Integrated Dairies Limited in Jos and plans to establish solar-powered milk collection centres to aggregate, process and market milk in rural communities, as detailed during the Wase visit, where a digital weather station funded by the Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support Project was also commissioned with the Nigerian Meteorological Agency.
Meat, milk and eggs are central to household food budgets. FoodPrices Nigeria tracks verified retail prices across Lagos markets, and stronger domestic livestock production is part of the supply picture that shapes what shoppers eventually pay for protein.