Katsina Hosts Stakeholder Dialogue On Livestock Transport Reform

The Honourable Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, on Saturday 20th June, 2026, concluded a series of engagements in Katsina State with the North-West Zonal Symposium and Stakeholder Dialogue on Safer and Efficient Livestock Transportation in Nigeria, organised by the Amalgamated Union of Food Stuff and Cattle Dealers of Nigeria (AFUCDN). 

The event, themed “Enhancing Road Safety in Livestock Transportation and Addressing Blockages on National Highways,” also featured the official flag-off of the AUFCDN member e-registration exercise and brought together key stakeholders from government, security agencies, livestock traders and producers.

Declaring the symposium open, the Executive Governor of Katsina State, His Excellency Dikko Umar Radda, CON, described the forum as “timely and highly relevant,” noting that livestock movement and agricultural trade remain “the major pillar of sustaining millions of livelihoods in rural and urban communities.”

He noted that the North-West remains a major hub for livestock production and called for improved coordination among stakeholders, including traders, transporters, processors and security agencies, to ensure sustainable growth. 

While acknowledging challenges such as insecurity, transportation difficulties and market infrastructure gaps, the Governor reaffirmed that the State Government is committed to “modernising livestock production, improving markets and promoting peaceful coexistence” across communities.

The State plans to construct a modern 2,000-capacity abattoir designed to drive livestock processing, value addition and industrialisation of the livestock value chain in Katsina.

In his remarks, the Minister of Livestock Development stressed the urgent need to transform Nigeria’s livestock system from traditional live animal movement into a modern value chain economy.

He described the Mai’Adua International Livestock Market in Katsina State as a strategic asset that must be transformed into a continuous livestock exchange hub rather than a weekly trading point, adding that “we must stop exporting value and start exporting products and value-added goods.”

Muhktar further highlighted ongoing investments, including veterinary control posts along livestock corridors, as part of broader reforms to ensure traceability, animal health safety and improved market efficiency.

The Minister also formally presented the National Livestock Transformation Roadmap to the Executive Governor of Katsina State, detailing strategic interventions across the entire value chain, designed to support sub-national governments in unlocking the full economic potential of livestock, as well as ensuring alignment with national food security, rural prosperity and export diversification goals.

Later in the day, the Minister visited three major livestock farms in the State, including Maidebino Farms, which he described as “a centre of excellence” with a stock of about 30,000 sheep and goats. 

He also commended The Farm Katsina and Songhai Global Farm Nigeria Limited for advancing dairy production and crossbreeding innovations aimed at reducing Nigeria’s dependence on imported dairy products.

On his part, the Katsina State Commissioner for Livestock Development, Professor Ahmad Mohammad Bakori, noted that the proposed 2000-capacity abbatoir facility expected to be completed within 18 months after approval by the State Executive Council, would support meat processing, leather production and other by-product industries. 

Henrietta Okokon
Deputy Director, Information and Public Relations 
20th June, 2026