The National Assembly has criticised the Federal Government over what it described as lip service to the development of Nigeria’s livestock industry, two years after the establishment of a dedicated ministry for the sector.

The rebuke came on Friday during a budget defence session between a joint committee on Livestock Development and the Ministry of Livestock Development.

Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, told lawmakers that despite Nigeria’s vast agricultural potential, about 65 per cent of animals consumed annually in the country are imported.

He warned that the trend persists even though Nigeria has the capacity to generate an estimated ₦3.2 billion from red meat exports.

Maiha disclosed that out of the ₦70 billion approved as take-off funds for the ministry in 2024, only ₦20 billion has been released, asserting that none of the ₦10 billion appropriated as capital allocation for the 2025 fiscal year had been disbursed.

The revelations drew sharp reactions from members of the committee, led by Senator Shehu Buba (Bauchi South), who expressed disbelief over the funding shortfalls.

Lawmakers called on President Bola Tinubu to urgently intervene to ensure adequate financing of the ministry, in line with the administration’s economic diversification agenda.

Senate Whip, Senator Tahir Monguno (Borno North), described the poor funding as contradictory to the purpose for which the ministry was created.

“The establishment of the Ministry of Livestock Development in 2024 was driven by the gospel of diversification of the nation’s economy. It is therefore surprising and disappointing that we are now paying lip service to the livestock sector. It is inherently contradictory to create a ministry and then fail to fund it,” Monguno said.

Senator Abdul Ningi (PDP/Bauchi Central) suggested possible sabotage as the reason for the lack of capital releases, indicating that this situation might not align with the President’s intentions.

“This is a ministry that must be supported and properly funded by the Federal Government. I suspect sabotage regarding the zero capital allocation because Mr President meant well for livestock development. He urged the committee’s leadership to urgently meet with the President to address the issue,” Ningi stated.

The committee recommended a non-reliance on a mono-product economy, vowing to intensify efforts to secure adequate funding for the Ministry to drive meaningful economic diversification (Channels TV)