By Olanrewaju Agiri
National Secretary of the Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN), Ogbeni Oludayo Obasanjo, has characterized the Nigerian poultry industry as a game-changer for sustainable food security and regional trade, claiming that the industry can bridge the gap given the country’s expanding population and rising demand for protein consumption.
The Managing Director of the Obasanjo Farms made the statement in his goodwill message during the recently held Poultry Show held at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library Complex, Presidential Boulevard, Abeokuta, Ogun State, where all the stakeholders in the Nigerian poultry sector gathered to exhibit and brainstorm.
In his speech, Ogbeni Dapo Obasanjo emphasized how the industry has supported livelihoods by generating enormous employment opportunities for traders and farmers. With chicken and eggs being the most economical protein sources, the industry is addressing the issue of protein sources and enhancing family nutrition.
Additionally, he emphasized that by making a substantial contribution to Nigeria’s GDP and regional commerce, the poultry industry is significantly boosting the nation’s economic growth. “Regional opportunities: Nigerians can export poultry products to neighboring countries, ensuring a productive economy and boosting trade.”
Ogbeni Obasanjo further highlighted this by saying, “For us to unlock the sector’s potential, Nigeria can invest in disease control and biosecurity. This will in turn reduce the risk that Nigeria’s poultry farmers are exposed to and ensure profitability and a sustained business.”
“Make loans accessible to poultry farmers at below 10%. The turnover on poultry is not high enough to take commercial loans of 30%; it’s critical that the government intervene to ensure that real farmers have access to agriculture-friendly loans.”
He added that the federal government should protect the industry against the dumping of products from Brazil and Europe and manage our borders better to ensure contraband entering Nigeria is contained. “Over the years local production had been increasing due to the ban on importation of poultry products.”
Obasanjo explained that the sector has been able to keep up with the increasing demand and can still do better; therefore, the planned lifting of the ban on the importation portends a lot of danger to the industry and might make millions of Nigerians lose their jobs, thereby increasing hardships over the land.
The potential lifting of the ban could destabilize local markets and undermine the progress made in self-sufficiency. Many stakeholders in the agricultural sector are urging the government to consider the long-term impacts on food security and employment before making any decisions.
