By David Torough, Abuja

The Federal government is to convene the first ever National Council on Livestock Development before the end of this year (2025).Livestock Development Minister, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, who announced the initiative today at a press conference in Abuja to commemorate this year’s world milk day, stated that the council will serve as the apex platform for deliberations, harmonization and review of policies and initiatives in the livestock sector.

Additionally, the Minister said, the Council will bring together key stakeholders, including state governments, development partners, private sector players, researchers as well as pastoralist communities to shape a unified National agenda for sustainable development in line with the renewed hope agenda of this administration.In a related development the Minister revealed plans to transform the dairy industry by doubling down on local milk production, reducing dependency on imports, and unlocking the economic potential of the livestock sector.The Minister also highlighted Nigeria’s plan to increase national milk production from 700,000 metric tonnes to 1.4 million metric tonnes annually within five years.Mukhtar noted that this move is crucial to cutting the country’s over $1.5 billion annual dairy import bill and positioning Nigeria on a path to nutritional self-sufficiency.Part of the activities marking the world milk day was a road show, personally led by the minister and the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr. Chinyere Akujobi which took off from Eagle Square.Staff of the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development, sector stakeholders, civil society groups and dairy enthusiasts participated fully in the road show with clear commitment to building a healthy, self-reliant, and productive dairy economy in Nigeria.Speaking at an interactive session with journalists, the Minister said; “We are charting a new course, guided by the National Livestock Growth Acceleration Strategy (NL-GAS), which focuses on critical pillars such as feed and fodder development, livestock value chain transformation, breed improvement, animal health, youth and women empowerment, and access to finance,”According to the Minister, achievements already recorded include the registration of eight pasture species ( first in 48 years), the development of the National Strategy and Action Plan on Animal Genetic Resources, and ongoing efforts to expand livestock vaccine production capacity from 120 million to 850 million doses at the National Veterinary Research Institute in Vom,Plateau State.Other achievements listed by the minister include; the commissioning of a solar-powered cold storage facility in Sheda, Abuja, and inauguration of the Wase Livestock Village as a model for rehabilitating Nigeria’s 417 grazing reserves.Maiha cited milestone projects like the Arla Dairy Farm in Kaduna and the Nestlé-backed Paikon Kore Dairy Training Facility in Abuja as models of progress.He also praised the Ekiti State Government and Promasidor for transforming the Ikun Dairy Farm into a high-yield operation, producing 10,000 litres of milk daily.Acknowledging the vital role of state governments, development partners and private sector players in revitalising Nigeria’s dairy landscape, meiha further noted that nearly half of Nigeria’s 36 states have already begun establishing their own Ministries or agencies for livestock development, aligning with the Federal Government’s renewed agenda for food security, economic inclusion, and rural transformation.Companies such as FrieslandCampina Wamco, Arla Foods, Zaidi Farms Ltd, Nestlé Nigeria, Integrated Dairies, and Promasidor, alongside organisations like FAO, Sahel Consulting, and the Commercial Dairy Ranchers Association of Nigeria (CODARAN), have partnered with the Ministry to introduce best practices, invest in dairy demonstration farms, and support smallholder farmers.Maiha lauded the media for their role in shaping public opinion and amplifying government efforts. “Your voices shape perception, your stories amplify impact, and your platforms connect government efforts with the people they are meant to serve…the success of this Ministry’s vision depends, in part, on how well we tell our story, and we need you to help us tell it boldly, accurately, passionately and consistently,” he said.

“Do not threaten Israel with sanctions” as it will continue to build a “Jewish state” on the ground,” Israeli Defense Minister, Israel Katz, warned on Friday.He also rebuffed a call by French President Emmanuel Macron for establishing a Palestinian State.In open defiance of international law, Katz claimed that world powers may recognize a Palestinian state “on paper.

”Katz made the remarks during a visit to Sa-Nur, an illegal outpost in the northern West Bank that the Tel Aviv government recently decided to officially designate as a settlement for illegal Israeli settlers. In a direct message, Defense Minister Israel Katz targets French President Macron and European allies.He also dismissed the potential international consequences.He said: “They will recognise a Palestinian state on paper, while we will build the Jewish Israeli state on the ground.“Don’t threaten us with sanctions. You will not make us bow.“The State of Israel will not kneel before threats.”His comments came hours after President Macron stated that recognising the State of Palestine was a “moral duty”.Macron also reiterated that France may move toward official recognition during an upcoming international conference focused on the two-state solution.Earlier this week, Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth reported that the Israeli Security Cabinet had secretly approved the establishment of 22 new illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank.In response, the Israeli anti-settlement group Peace Now issued a statement Thursday, revealing that 12 of the newly approved settlements were previously unauthorised outposts and farming sites established in recent years.According to Peace Now, there are currently 156 illegal settlements and 224 outposts across the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, with over 736,000 illegal Israeli settlers living on occupied Palestinian land.The international community, including the UN, considers the Israeli settlements illegal under international law.The UN has repeatedly warned that continued settlement expansion threatens the viability of a two-state solution, a framework seen as key to resolving the decades-long Palestinian-Israeli conflict.In July 2024, the International Court of Justice declared Israel’s decades-long occupation of Palestinian land illegal and demanded the evacuation of all existing settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.(AA/NAN)

The stock market on Friday closed the week on a bearish note, as key performance indicators dipped by 0.07 per cent.Specifically, the market capitalisation declined by N48 billion, or 0.07 per cent, to N70.462 trillion from N70.510 trillion recorded on Thursday.The All-Share Index also dropped by 0.

07 per cent or 76.07 points to close at 111,742. 01 down from 111,818.08 posted on Thursday. The decline was largely attributed to sell-offs in heavyweight stocks like Beta Glass, NCR Nigeria, Conoil, Legend Internet and 33 others.Also, the market breadth closed negative with 37 stocks declining against 28 gainers.On the flip side, Beta Glass declined by 10 per cent, closing at N232.65 while NCR Nigeria also lost by 10 per cent, finishing at N6.57 per share.Conoil dropped by 9.99 per cent, settling at N298.10 and Legend Internet fell by 9.94 per cent, closing at N6.16 per shareAlso, Industrial Medical Gases shed by 9.91 per cent, ending the session at N33.65 per share.On the gainers’ chart, Omatek grew by 9.86 per cent, settling at 78k while Red Star Express climbed by 9.62 per cent, closing at N8.32 per share.Deap Capital Management rose by 9.38 per cent, finishing at N1.05 and Sovereign Trust Insurance soared by 9.09 per cent, ending the session at N1.08 per share.May and Baker also increased by 8.26 per cent, closing at N11.80 per share.A total of 1.90 billion shares valued at N64.14 billion were traded across 18,653 transactions, in contrast to the 556.45 million shares worth N17.17 billion exchanged across 18,505 deals on Thursday.Transactions in the shares of United Bank for Africa topped the activity chart with 1.41 billion shares worth N49.02 billion.United Capital followed with 66.84 million shares valued at N1.32 billion while Access Corporation sold 53.97 million shares worth N1.19 billion.Fidelity Bank traded 31.38 million shares valued at N606.09 million and Zenith Bank transacted 29.93 million shares worth N1.46 billion. (NAN)