The Federal Government has stepped up efforts to reduce Nigeria’s dependence on imported dairy products through a new partnership with the EU Dairy Coalition of the Willing, a collaboration involving three global dairy companies operating in the country.
Mukhtar Idi Maiha, the minister of livestock development, disclosed this at a high-level meeting with representatives of the coalition in Abuja on Tuesday, March 10.
The coalition brings together international dairy giants Arla Foods, Danone and FrieslandCampina, all of which already have operational footprints in Nigeria.
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Maiha described the engagement as productive and strategic for Nigeria’s livestock sector, noting that the initiative is aimed at increasing local milk production and closing the country’s dairy import gap.
According to him, “improving cattle productivity is central to the government’s dairy transformation agenda.
Nigeria’s dairy cows currently produce between two and three liters of milk per day, a level far below global productivity benchmark”
The minister said the partnership aims to raise output to between 15 and 20 liters per cow daily through improved genetics and better herd management.
He explained that the government and the coalition had agreed to establish a technical working group that will develop an implementation plan within one week
.
The committee will also determine the location and resource requirements for a proposed national genetic breeding center, which is expected to drive improvements in dairy cattle productivity across the country.
Maiha said the breeding center will enable the introduction and propagation of improved cattle genetics, allowing Nigerian farmers to significantly increase milk yield.
He added that the collaboration will also address other critical components of the dairy value chain including animal health services, feed and fodder development, as well as livestock tagging, tracing and traceability systems.
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The minister said the involvement of the three companies represents a major boost for the sector, noting that they bring more than four centuries of combined dairy industry experience.
He stressed that the partnership marks a shift from isolated private investments to a coordinated effort between government and industry players.
According to him, the companies had previously operated individual dairy development programmes in Nigeria but have now come together to scale up impact through collaboration.
Maiha said the government is committed to fast tracking the initiative, stressing that there will be no bureaucratic delays in implementing the plan. He added that once the technical committee submits its report, groundwork for the breeding center and other interventions will commence immediately.
Sanne Steemers, coordinator, Dairy Coalition of the Willing, said the partnership was designed to help Nigeria build a sustainable and scalable dairy sector.
She noted that while dairy demand in Nigeria continues to grow rapidly, local production remains far below consumption levels.
According to her, increasing milk productivity per cow is the fastest pathway to expanding domestic supply.
Steemers said the coalition was formed by the three companies after recognizing that large scale transformation of Nigeria’s dairy industry would require collaboration rather than individual efforts.
She explained that the coalition is also exploring financing partnerships with European development institutions to support investments in dairy infrastructure, including milk collection networks and processing capacity.
She added that beyond productivity improvements, the partnership aims to support farmer livelihoods while improving nutrition through increased access to dairy products.
Other partners said stronger public private collaboration would be critical to building a viable dairy ecosystem capable of meeting Nigeria’s growing demand for milk and dairy products while reducing the country’s reliance on imports.
