Experts have called for greater investment, innovation and policy reforms to unlock the full potential of Nigeria’s poultry industry and boost food security, employment and economic growth.
The call was made at the Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN), Lagos State Chapter summit, themed “Flocking to Growth: Transforming Nigerian Poultry Industry through Innovation and Investment.”
Speaking at the event, Prof. Olutayo Adeyemi described poultry farming as one of Nigeria’s most important agricultural sectors, noting that the South-West remains a major hub for poultry production in West Africa.
Adeyemi said improvements in poultry genetics had helped increase productivity but stressed the need for researchers, farmers, regulators, investors and government agencies to work together to achieve further growth.
He identified precision feed milling, genetics and breeding, broiler production, processing, cold-chain logistics, standard abattoirs and value addition as key areas requiring increased investment.
The professor also raised concerns over Nigeria’s limited poultry processing capacity.
In a presentation titled “Sustainable Poultry Production: Best Practices, Climate Change and Waste Management,” Dr. Mobolaji Alabi said agriculture contributed 23.1 per cent to Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the first quarter of the year.
Alabi noted that Nigeria’s estimated poultry population of about 300 million birds would not be sufficient to meet future demand.
He advised poultry farmers to adopt precision management techniques, including accurate monitoring of feed consumption, medication and bird weight.
According to him, better management practices would improve productivity while helping to reduce the risk of antimicrobial resistance in the poultry sector.
