Key Facts in the Nigerian Livestock Industry

Compiled by Deborah Ogunyemi

The Nigerian livestock population is diverse, including poultry (chickens, turkeys, guinea fowl, and ducks), cattle, goats, sheep, pigs, and rabbits, with camels, donkeys, and horses also reared in the northern regions of the country.

Key products derived from livestock include meat, milk, eggs, and leather, along with by-products like skins, fiber, and fertilizer, all of which contribute to economic sustainability. Commonly reared livestock such as chickens, cattle, goats, and sheep play a central role in meeting local protein needs.

• The Nigerian livestock industry, valued at approximately N30 trillion, is a significant national asset with a projected annual growth rate of 1.2% until 2026.
• In 2022, Nigeria’s livestock population included 258.5 million chickens, 88.2 million goats, 49.1 million sheep, 20.9 million cattle, and 9.2 million pigs. Most of these animals are raised in free-range systems managed by smallholders and nomadic herders. ( National Agricultural Sample Census)
• Nigeria is the largest egg producing country in Africa with an average of 650 million tons per year
• Nigeria has the second largest poultry population in Africa
• Top 7 largest producers of poultry meat in Africa ( 300 million tons of meat)
• Nigeria also holds the fifth-largest cattle herd in Africa ( Statists, 2024)

• Among 40.2 million agricultural households in Nigeria, about 48% practice livestock farming, with 42.5% involved in poultry, 41.2% in goat farming, and 16% in cattle rearing. Around 5% of agricultural households are engaged in fishery activities (NBS, 2022).
• The livestock industry grew by 1.88% in 2023. Despite its production scale, Nigeria still imports livestock products, including birds’ eggs ($294,340 for 238,877 kg) and sheep and goats ($1.33 million in 2022), making it the 45th largest global importer of sheep and goats (World Integrated Trade Solution, World Bank; Observatory of Economic Complexity, OEC).
• Milk and dairy products account for between $1.2 billion and $1.5 billion annually of the Nigerian Import Bill
• Nigeria has a modest presence in the global meat export market, with bovine meat being the most significant contributor. Total Meat Exports (2021) was valued at $200.66 thousand (UN COMTRADE database).
• In 2021, bovine meat exports generated $14.7 million in revenue, with export prices averaging $782 per ton as of 2023.
• Poultry meat exports reached $15.8 thousand in 2022, with key markets including Ireland and Niger.

• Sheep and goat meat exports were valued at $7.55 thousand in 2021.

Production and Consumption Facts in the Nigerian Livestock Industry

Meat Consumption and Production

• In 2023, Nigeria consumed 1.4 million metric tons of meat, including 365 thousand metric tons from mutton and goat meat; 361.0 thousand metric tons of beef and; about 200 thousand metric tons of poultry meat. ( Statista,2024)
• Pork consumption was at 1.50 kg per capita in 2021, reflecting cultural preferences

• Meat production in 2023 reached 1.551 million metric tons, with contributions from 361 thousand metric tons of beef, 256 thousand metric tons from poultry and 401 thousand metric tons of mutton and goat meat.
• 1.66 million heads of pigs was produced in 2021

Milk Consumption and Production

• Milk production stands at 585,000 metric tons per year (FAO, 2018)
  Pastoralists account for 95% of milk production in Nigeria
• An average of 8 liters of milk is consumed per person annually which is below the 210 liters per person recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO). This shortfall has led to significant reliance on imports, with the country spending $1.5 billion annually on milk importation (CBN, 2024).

Egg Consumption and Production

• Nigeria’s average annual egg consumption per person was estimated to be around 78.48 eggs in 2020
• Annual egg production totals approximately 3.8 million eggs (FAO,2018)