Wale Raji Leads Charge to Reform Livestock Sector, Resolve

Wale Raji, representing Epe Federal Constituency, leads push for livestock sector reforms
₦498.7 million compensation backlog for 307 poultry farmers still unresolved
Six new bills aim to strengthen livestock research, education, and national capacity building

Chairman of the House Committee on Livestock Development and Member representing Epe Federal Constituency, Hon. Wale Raji, has reaffirmed the House of Representatives’ commitment to transforming Nigeria’s livestock sector and ensuring justice for poultry farmers still awaiting compensation for losses suffered during avian influenza outbreaks.

Eko Hot Blog reports that speaking at a public hearing on six livestock-related bills held on Thursday at the National Assembly, Hon. Raji said the proposed legislation is designed to strengthen research, education, and capacity building across the livestock value chain.

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The bills seek to establish livestock colleges and research centres nationwide to improve animal production and enhance training in animal husbandry and veterinary sciences.

Hon. Raji described the public hearing as a crucial moment for stakeholders to influence reforms that can boost productivity, expand livestock development, and create jobs.

He further assured participants that his Committee has intensified its investigation into the long-standing backlog of unpaid compensation to poultry farmers affected by previous bird flu incidents.

“We want to ensure fairness and accountability. Our goal is to produce outcomes that will genuinely strengthen livestock research, education, and policy implementation across the country,” he said.

Representing the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development, Dr. Adeniyi Adedoyin disclosed that the government still owes ₦498.7 million to 307 verified poultry farmers whose birds were destroyed between 2021 and 2023.

While ₦3.16 billion had been paid to 1,055 farmers in earlier years, the latest batch remains unpaid due to funding shortages.

He added that a fresh outbreak in Wukari, Taraba State, led to the depopulation of 2,050 birds, with compensation still under assessment.

Dr. Adedoyin noted that compensation efforts have been ongoing since 2006, with different phases amounting to ₦630.9 million, ₦674.2 million, ₦1.81 billion, and ₦47 million paid up to 2019.

However, the delays since 2021 stem from the absence of an Animal Diseases Contingency or Emergency Fund and the lack of mandatory insurance among many commercial farmers.

A revised compensation framework approved by the Federal Executive Council in 2022 now assigns 50 percent responsibility to the Federal Government, 25 percent to states, and 25 percent to farmers. Only smallholder farmers with 3,000 birds or fewer are eligible for support.

Contributing to the discussions, Hon. Bello Ka’oje stressed the importance of a bill seeking the establishment of the Federal College of Animal Husbandry in Ka’oje.

He described the proposal as a strategic step toward enhancing innovation, capacity building, and research in animal production.

“Nigeria still lags behind other African countries in livestock production despite its enormous potential,” he said, citing global rankings showing Nigeria at 94th in milk production and 33rd in meat production.

The hearing drew government officials, livestock experts, farmers, and policymakers, all of whom expressed optimism that the proposed bills would unlock the sector’s full potential and provide long-awaited relief to farmers still awaiting compensation.