By David Torough, Abuja

President Bola Tinubu on Monday unveiled an ambitious economic expansion agenda anchored on transforming Nigeria’s livestock industry and exporting homegrown technology and expertise to the wider African market.

The President, represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume (CON), said Nigeria was targeting more than doubling the livestock sector’s current contribution of over $32 billion annually to the national economy.

At the same time, Tinubu hailed the selection of Nigerian firm, AfriTrade CMP Limited, for the 20-year, multi-billion-dollar African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Customs Modernisation Project, describing the development as evidence of Nigeria’s growing capacity to provide homegrown solutions for Africa’s economic integration.

The two developments, according to the President, underscore his administration’s determination to strengthen domestic production, create jobs, attract investment and position Nigeria as a major economic and technological hub on the continent.

Speaking at the opening of the 9th All Africa Conference on Animal Agriculture in Abuja, Tinubu said livestock remained a critical pillar of Nigeria’s food security and economic diversification strategy.

He said the sector currently supports millions of livelihoods and contributes more than $32 billion annually to the economy, with Nigeria possessing more than 58 million cattle, 64 million sheep, 124 million goats and 660 million poultry species.

“Our national strategy aims to more than double the sector’s economic contributions to position Nigeria as a leading hub for livestock production and processing in Africa,” he said.

Tinubu said the establishment of the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development in July 2024 marked the beginning of a comprehensive transformation of the industry from largely subsistence practices to a modern, technology-driven and commercially competitive sector.

He said the government was implementing the National Livestock Growth Acceleration Strategy to raise productivity, strengthen value chains, improve animal health services, expand commercial feed production, enhance livestock genetics and promote climate-smart production.

The administration, he added, was also promoting ranching and modern livestock production systems to increase productivity and reduce conflicts associated with traditional livestock practices.

Tinubu said opportunities were being opened for investment in dairy, meat processing, leather, feed milling and other livestock infrastructure, while efforts were underway to reduce Nigeria’s dependence on imported dairy products.

“Our ongoing dairy transformation programme seeks to double local milk production through improved genetics, better nutrition, modern breeding systems, and stronger private sector participation,” he said.

The President said the livestock value chain could generate millions of jobs, particularly for young people and women, through access to finance, digital technology, innovation and private-sector partnerships.

He also called for greater African cooperation in tackling animal diseases, climate change, food insecurity, trade barriers and transboundary livestock movements.

Tinubu’s emphasis on expanding domestic productive capacity was echoed in his response to the AfCFTA Customs Modernisation Project, where he said Nigerian innovation was increasingly finding applications beyond the country’s borders.

In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the President commended the selection of AfriTrade CMP Limited, a subsidiary of Bergmans Security Consultant and Supplies Limited, for the continental customs project.

The project is expected to deploy digital and physical infrastructure to improve customs processes, cargo tracking, border management and trade-data exchange across participating African countries.

Another Bergmans subsidiary, Trade Modernisation Project Limited, is implementing Nigeria’s customs modernisation programme through B’Odogwu, the indigenous Unified Customs Management System.

Tinubu said the continental deal demonstrated that solutions developed and tested in Nigeria could serve as models for the rest of Africa.

“What has been built and tested in Nigeria is now providing a model for the continent,” he said.

“This is how African integration should work: Africans building African solutions for African opportunities.”

The President said the Federal Government would continue creating opportunities for Nigerian businesses to compete at home and across Africa under its Nigeria First policy.

The AfCFTA Secretary-General, Mr Wamkele Mene, recently visited the Nigeria Customs Service headquarters in Abuja to observe the Nigerian customs modernisation programme in operation.

Mene described B’Odogwu as a model for Africa, noting that although non-African companies had offered similar services, AfCFTA opted for an African solution.

The system, first piloted in October 2024, supports cargo tracking, data infrastructure, surveillance, risk management and non-intrusive inspection processes. It is also being integrated with the National Single Window launched in March 2026 as a unified digital gateway for cross-border trade.

The President said the development demonstrated that Nigeria could play a leading role not only in producing food and livestock for Africa but also in building the digital infrastructure needed to facilitate continental commerce.

“The promise of AfCFTA will be realised when goods can move across African borders faster, at lower cost and with fewer barriers,” Tinubu said.

He added that Nigeria was ready to contribute its experience, innovation and enterprise to that future.

The President urged African stakeholders to deepen cooperation in livestock production, animal health, research, technology, investment and trade, stressing that no country could achieve sustainable transformation in isolation.

He said Nigeria’s broader objective was to transform its domestic economic strengths into continental opportunities, with agriculture, livestock, technology and trade infrastructure serving as key drivers.

“Together, we can transform Africa from a continent with enormous livestock potential into a global leader in livestock production,” Tinubu said.