The Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Maiha, Monday, said the country currently spends over $1.5 billion annually on milk importation.
Maiha, while speaking in Abuja at the commemoration of the 2025 World Milk Day, noted that the local consumption of milk is relatively high compared to the production, which is a defect on Nigeria’s economy.
He added that despite the consumption, Nigeria still lags behind in global and continental averages.
“Nigeria consumes about 1.6 million metric tonnes of milk every year, but we only produce around 700,000 metric tonnes locally. The remaining 60 percent is imported at a cost of over $1.5 billion annually. Now, that is a serious drain on our economy. But even with all that importation, our national milk consumption still lags behind global and continental averages.”
The minister said according to the 2025 global dairy report of the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), countries that will lead in the next dairy boom are those who combine local production with innovation, inclusive policies, and resilient infrastructure, adding that Nigeria can be that country.
Meanwhile, Maiha assured that the government remains committed to creating conditions that enable investment and innovation, policy reforms, access to finance, infrastructural development and training.
He added that the ministry is also working to unlock bottlenecks across the value chain.
He further stated that Nigeria is already positioning itself to lead in global dairy trends by doubling Nigeria’s milk production from 700,000 metric tonnes to 1.4 million metric tonnes annually in the next five years adding that with over 20.9 million cattle, 60 million sheep, and 1.4 million goats already in Nigeria, the country is not starting from zero but building from strength.
“The projected 30 percent rise in global dairy demand by 2035 is a timely reminder that Nigeria must not only meet its local needs but strategically position itself in the global dairy economy,” he added.
Head of the European Union Delegation to Nigeria, Ambassador Gautier Mignot, on his part noted that milk production is done by smallholder dairy farmers who have limited access to infrastructure, reliable and quality forage, milk collection and storage centers, which lead to very low productivity and poor-quality milk yields adding that despite growing demand, local milk production meets less than 10% of national consumption.
“Globally, and in Nigeria, milk provides essential nutrients to children and adults alike, while creating jobs for farmers, transporters, processors, retailers, and many others along the value chain. However, Nigeria’s dairy production remains very weak.
“This gap presents not just a challenge, but also an opportunity to build an inclusive, sustainable, and self-sufficient dairy industry that supports economic growth, reduces import dependency, and enhances food security,” he stated.