WOAH Commends Nigeria's Progress in Veterinary Services Reform

Nigeria has recorded significant progress in strengthening its veterinary services and animal health systems, according to preliminary findings presented to the Honourable Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, by the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) Performance of Veterinary Services (PVS) Follow-Up (FU) Mission.

The PVS-FU Mission forms part of Nigeria's broader efforts to benchmark its Veterinary Services against international standards and advance the Federal Government's vision of building a modern, productive and globally competitive livestock sector.

Speaking while receiving the WOAH delegation at the Ministry's headquarters today in Abuja, the Minister welcomed the preliminary findings of the PVS-FU, describing them as a valuable roadmap for strengthening Nigeria's veterinary architecture and accelerating livestock sector transformation.

He thanked the WOAH team for recognising the reforms undertaken by the Federal Government and reiterated the Ministry's commitment to addressing identified gaps through collaboration with states, development partners, academia and the private sector.

"We may not be there yet, but we are on the right track. We are committed, disciplined and courageous. We do not feel ashamed of our weaknesses and we do not exaggerate our strengths. The way forward is to acknowledge our weaknesses and work deliberately to address them," the Minister said.

Mukhtar disclosed that the livestock development agenda is gaining momentum across the country, noting that more than eighteen states have now established livestock-focused ministries and institutions, compared to only three before the creation of the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development.

He reaffirmed the Ministry's commitment to an integrated veterinary system involving federal, state and local governments, as well as private sector actors, with disease surveillance, emergency preparedness, laboratory strengthening and the eradication of priority animal diseases remaining top priorities.

The Minister further assured the WOAH delegation that the recommendations arising from the mission would be carefully reviewed and incorporated into ongoing reforms aimed at strengthening Nigeria's Veterinary Services, enhancing animal health security and positioning the country as a competitive player in regional and global livestock markets.

Earlier, presenting the mission's preliminary findings, the WOAH delegation led by Dr. Bouna Diop commended Nigeria for the significant progress recorded since previous evaluations, citing the establishment of the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development, the development and validation of the National Roadmap for Veterinary Services (2026–2036), and strategic engagement with State Directorates of Veterinary Services as evidence of stronger institutional commitment and policy direction.

He noted that the roadmap addresses critical areas including institutional capacity, coordinated vaccination programmes, digital transformation, workforce development, public-private partnerships and the One Health approach.

"Our assessment indicates that Nigeria has made significant progress and is moving in the right direction. The challenge is no longer the absence of policy intent but the translation of strategy into adequately resourced implementation across all levels," he stated.

The delegation, however, identified areas requiring further attention, particularly at sub-national levels, including veterinary workforce distribution, operational funding, laboratory capacity, surveillance systems, emergency preparedness and field mobility. 

The team recommended the development of a dedicated implementation plan for the Veterinary Services Roadmap, strengthened support for state veterinary services and increased investment in disease surveillance, laboratory networks and workforce development.

Henrietta Okokon
Deputy Director, Information and Public Relations 
25th June, 2026