The Federal Government has flagged off a nationwide mass animal vaccination exercise in Sokoto State, marking a major push to curb transboundary animal diseases and strengthen Nigeria’s livestock health system.
The exercise, launched under the World Bank–supported Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support Project (L-PRES), is aimed at boosting efficient, resilient and sustainable livestock production across the country. Although only 20 states are currently enrolled in the L-PRES programme, the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development confirmed that the vaccination campaign will be implemented across all 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory.
Speaking at the flag-off ceremony in Sokoto, the Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, said the decision to extend the exercise nationwide reflects the critical role animal health plays in food security, public health and economic growth. “Animal diseases do not respect state boundaries. To grow our livestock industry and protect livelihoods, we must adopt a coordinated national approach to animal health,” the minister said.
Maiha disclosed that a total of 18.2 million doses of vaccines have been earmarked for the exercise, targeting major livestock and poultry diseases including Foot-and-Mouth Disease, Contagious Bovine Pleuropneumonia, Peste des Petits Ruminants and Newcastle Disease. He described the campaign as a “game changer” that would significantly reduce losses suffered by farmers and improve productivity along the livestock value chain.
Sokoto State Governor, Ahmed Aliyu, who joined the minister at the event, welcomed the initiative and reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to supporting livestock farmers. “Sokoto is proud to host the flag-off of this important national programme. Livestock remains a backbone of our rural economy, and interventions like this will go a long way in improving incomes and food availability,” the governor said.
As part of activities in the state, the minister and the governor also inaugurated a state-of-the-art L-PRES Model Veterinary Hospital in Sokoto, the third in a planned series of 21 such facilities nationwide. The hospital is designed to serve as a hub for modern animal health service delivery, diagnostics and disease surveillance.
According to officials, the facility is equipped with ambulatory veterinary services to respond to animal health emergencies, especially in hard-to-reach and underserved communities. Maiha noted that the model hospitals are central to the government’s strategy of building a resilient animal health system capable of supporting both smallholder and commercial livestock producers.
The Federal Government said the mass vaccination exercise and the rollout of modern veterinary infrastructure underscore its determination to reposition the livestock sector as a key driver of economic diversification, food security and national development.
