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The Federal Government has called for intensified Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) towards the revitalisation of 38 moribund livestock legacy facilities across the six geopolitical zones in the country.
Alhaji Idi Maiha, Minister of Livestock Development, made the call at the specialised training on PPP organised by the ministry yesterday in Abuja.
Maiha identified some of the facilities to include Milk Collection Centres, Cattle Multiplication Centres, Goat and Sheep Breeding Centres, Pig Progeny Centres and Tanneries.
The Federal Government’s livestock sub-sector strategic plan which runs from 2025 to 2030 aims to increase its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) contribution from $32 billion to between $74 billion and $94 billion within 10 years.
The minister, who said many of the facilities were built 60 to 70 years ago, emphasised that they should be revived and put to use as soon as possible.
Maiha described PPP as the preferred business model for the facilities to be back to business and contribute to enhancing the fortunes of the nation’s livestock sub-sector.
He identified the creation of the ministry as a clear demonstration of the Federal Government’s commitment to reposition the livestock sub-sector as a key driver of food security, employment generation, rural development and economic diversification.
According to him, livestock contributes significantly to national GDP, nutrition and livelihoods.
However, he said its full potential remained largely untapped due to long-standing structural, infrastructural and investment gaps.
“It is against this background that PPP provides not just an option but a strategic necessity for massive transformation of the livestock sector.
“The government alone cannot sustainably finance, operate and modernise the livestock value chains.
“Equally, the private sector requires an enabling policy, regulatory and institutional environment to invest with confidence.
“PPP provides the framework through which these complementary strengths can be harnessed for mutual benefit and national development,’’ he said.
Maiha said PPP promotes efficiency, innovation, risk sharing, accountability and value for money.
“When properly structured and transparently implemented, PPP can accelerate project delivery, reduce fiscal pressure on the government, improve service quality and stimulate private investment, while safeguarding public interest,” he said.
The minister said the training was designed to build institutional capacity within the ministry and among its stakeholders to understand, structure, negotiate and manage PPP projects. He said the training sought to deepen participants’ understanding of PPP concepts, models and lifecycle processes.
“It is to enhance capacity for project identification, preparation and appraisal in the livestock sector, as well as seek to strengthen compliance with Nigeria’s PPP laws, guidelines and institutional arrangements,” he said.
The training featured agencies under the ministry, development partners, private sector stakeholders, civil society organisations and professional associations, among others.
