Organised stakeholders in the cattle business have described the cattle value chain within the livestock economy as another gold mine and a critical huge contributor to Nigeria’s economy if properly harnessed.
They told BusinessDay in Port Harcourt that cattle could replace oil/gas because of its vast value chain from cattle rearing to meat industry and the trade from it.
This is as the head of the Fulani in Rivers State has said they lost so far over four million cows to rustlers and thieves in transit from north to the south, with loss of human lives as well as extortion at checkpoints.
This is coming from the organised body called the National Association of Cattle Dealers, Processors and Marketers of Nigeria (NACDPAMN), as its members announced their resolve to strengthen the body for collective interest of Nigeria and its citizens.
Over the years, no doubt, the oil sector took the centre stage in Nigeria’s economy contributing huge revenue to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and became a big employer of labour over and above the agricultural economy.
Most analysts however believe that the Agric sector remains critical to the livelihood of Nigerians. That could be why every government at all levels is committed to promoting the sector and its vast potentials.
Both individuals, corporate institutions or organizations appear to be in the farm business, from grains to livestock production.
This seems to inform the resolve of NACDPAMN to strengthen its members and position the association as the umbrella body of all associations/groups in the cattle value chain. These include dealers, butchers, breeders or rearers, among others.
In his inaugural speech recently, Godspower Eke, a chief and first chairman of the association in Rivers State chapter, revealed that the association, established in 2021 and inaugurated in 2024 by president Bola Ahmed Tinubu, was poised to diversify the country’s economy and reduce its over-dependence on oil.
He noted that livestock is seen as key area with its growth, and its vast grazing land and large cattle population.
According to Eke, the mission of the association includes to transform the livestock sector from its current subsistence level to a thriving, commercialised industry; and to provide jobs and sustain vast livelihoods for Nigeria’s growing population.
Eke also recalled that President Tinubu had made several key statements by highlighting the economic potentials of the cattle value chain, noting that it could boost agricultural productivity, enhance export opportunities, and also enhance the establishment of livestock development (now established) to unlock immense economic potentials. It is also intended to stop what he termed wanton killings between the herders and farmers.
Also, the National President of NACDPAMN, Iliyasu Bulama, in his speech in September, 2026, noted that: ‘The association is the voice, the bridge, and umbrella platform of Nigeria’s cattle value chain representing the commercial heart of national food system, the dealers, marketers, processors, and others.’
Bulama said the association was a strong institution that would ensure that it strengthens multi-stakeholders’ collaboration for secured livestock and traceability, verification and prevention of cattle theft or rustling in Nigeria.
Baba Othman Ngezarma, the National president of cattle breeders under the name ‘Myeltti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN)’, had disclosed last year in Eleme, River State, that so far breeders had lost 4m cows to rustlers from 2014 to 2025 while Nigeria spends over $2bn on milk importation.
The stakeholders including Eke, Othman, and Bulama who commended President Tinubu for creating the new Livestock Development Ministry, said NACDPAMN would not relent in their resolve to upscale the huge potentials in the cattle value chain.
They added that the new ministry was a critical issue to herders and farmers. Sarki Yau Mogodi, Paramount Chief of the Fulani’s in Rivers State, who also spoke to this medium, has described the Nigeria cattle value chain as another gold mine next to the oil and gas economy.
Mogodi who is also a frontline cattle breeder in the country disclosed this is an interview recently with our correspondent in Port-Harcourt, said the value chain has enormous potentials that need to be properly harnessed to boost the livestock industry and revenue of the country.
The royal father observed that Nigeria is in a new dawn of growth and development being driven by the National Association of Cattle Dealers, processors and markets of Nigeria (NACDPAMN) with mission and commitment to harness abundant but untapped opportunities, huge foreign revenue earnings, meat, hides and skin, leather, by-products, logistics, cold chain and export chain, among others.
He noted that the association being the major driver of the value chain faced perennial challenges ranging from farmers-herdsmen clashes, cattle rustling, security, obnoxious taxation and criminal attacks among others.
He however said the members were resolute with determination to revolutionise the sector to greater height.
Mogodi who highlighted four major challenges confronting Fulani herdsmen advocated education, job opportunities, entrepreneurship, empowerment for Fulani youths across the country and access to cattle ranches for the herders.
He emphasised: ‘Fulani youth are very talented and industrious in any aspect of life. They can study any course in any institution in the world.’
He strongly noted that in this 21st century, any child who is denied education is denied life because education is the key and bed-rock of socio-economic development and growth all over the world.’
The Sarki also lamented thus: ‘We have lots of out-of-school children. Some have lost their parents and thousands of cows to criminals across the country. We go through a lot of challenges while transporting our cows from the North to the South-South, South-East and South-West due to criminal attacks, killing, rustling and extortion at checking points’.
Mogodi cited some instances: ‘During the end SARS protests on October 22, 2020, some hoodlums raided our Fulani camp in Eteo-Eleme Community of Rivers State and killed 21 cows, killed two in Obigbo Local Government and killed some more in Etche Local Government Area. Nothing was done by relevant authorities in the state’.
The Sarki appealed to the Federal Government to help his people out from this sympathetic situation because: ‘Some elements in the society are now bent on destroying our business and image despite our commitment and contribution to the socio-economic development of Nigeria.’
He also called on the Federal Government to create Fulani Youth Development Commission (FYDC) or Danfodio Youth Development Commission (DYDC) like other commissions such as the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) in the south to enhance their socio-economic lives, wondering where Fulani youth would find themselves in the next 30 years based on the global challenges, if nothing was done.