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By Daniel Adaji
The Federal Government has launched a pilot abattoir certification programme to create disease-free zones and improve livestock handling across Nigeria.
Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Maiha, announced the initiative on Monday while addressing journalists at the maiden edition of the ministry’s media retreat in Kaduna State.
Maiha explained that most abattoirs in the country are privately owned, with only a few under government control. Out of these, just three have so far met the ministry’s certification standards—one in Kano State and two in Abuja. “So today we have identified three abattoirs. One in Kano, two in Abuja. To start as a pilot for certification,” he said.
He noted that the certification process would be anchored on internationally recognised standards—the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) and ISO 22000.
According to the United States Federal Department of Agriculture, “ISO 22000 integrates the principles of the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) system and application steps developed by the Codex Alimentarius Commission to identify, prevent and control food safety hazards.
“HACCP is a management system in which food safety is addressed through the analysis and control of biological, chemical, and physical hazards from raw material production, procurement and handling, to manufacturing, distribution and consumption of the finished product,” it added.
Maiha said the goal was to establish disease-free zones through strict internal assessments and compliance with international benchmarks. “We make an internal assessment and then we make it to build up what we call disease-free zones. We have to make them a disease-free zone,” he stated.
Beyond abattoir certification, the minister highlighted broader reforms in livestock management, such as pasture expansion, feed distribution, and improved animal welfare. He argued that transporting fodder instead of animals across regions would help reduce conflicts and improve productivity.
“Why can’t you move over the grasses from the southern part of the country to the northern part of the country rather than moving animals? So that’s the business model we are presenting,” he said.
On livestock transportation, Maiha disclosed ongoing talks with manufacturers to produce customised vehicles designed to reduce stress on animals.
“We are talking with manufacturers of these vehicles to give us specific customized vehicles, trucks, for animal transportation,” he explained, stressing that inhumane practices like transporting goats on bus rooftops must end.
The minister also pledged a nationwide campaign on animal handling and welfare. “We are coming up with a massive campaign on animal handling, animal welfare, and those issues about animal transportation,” he said.
Reacting to the initiative, Peter Dama, a retired Federal Director of Information and livestock stakeholder, commended the ministry’s approach, particularly its potential to reduce farmer-herder conflicts. He recalled how local negotiations in farming communities had helped ease tensions over access routes and water.
“We came, we agreed, the local leader, our chief negotiated, and we accepted that any herder that destroys crops, would have to pay. That must be a good decision. So you see we live together, we work together and help one another,” Dama said.
He suggested that government could scale up such locally tested peace-building strategies to the national level.
The abattoir certification programme marks a major step in the Federal Government’s plan to modernise the livestock sector, improve food safety, and reduce farmer-herder conflicts through structured regulation.