President of the Pig Farmers Association of Nigeria (PFAN), Akin Adesehinwa, says Nigeria is the leading pork producer in Africa, with an annual output of over 303,000 metric tonnes.

South Africa follows closely with 302,000 metric tonnes.

Mr Adesehinwa stated this during a courtesy visit by the association to the minister of livestock development, Idi Maiha, on Saturday in Abuja.

Citing 2023 data from the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), he attributed this achievement to Nigeria’s huge pig population, which exceeds eight million heads and accounts for over 50 per cent of West Africa’s total pig population.

He lamented that in spite of the contribution of pig farming to the nation’s economy, most pigs were raised under intensive and semi-intensive systems, primarily using indigenous breeds.

Mr Adesehinwa noted that these breeds are characterised by stunted growth and poor reproductive performance.

“Pigs are not only a source of protein but also represent a valuable livelihood for many farmers and households across our nation.

“They play an important role in sustaining livelihoods in rural communities and hold cultural and social significance.

“Analysts estimate that the pig industry can contribute over ₦265 billion to the Nigerian economy by 2029,” he explained.

The PFAN president highlighted several challenges facing pig farming in Nigeria, including poor product acceptance in certain regions, high labour costs, and limited access to credit facilities.

Other issues, according to him, include frequent disease outbreaks particularly African swine fever, religious and cultural biases, inconsistent government policies, and restricted access to high-quality breeding stock.

Mr Adesehinwa urged the ministry to implement actionable policies in key areas such as infrastructure development, capacity building, and research and development to fully harness the industry’s potential.

In response, Mr Maiha assured the association that the ministry would soon implement key reforms aimed at improving the sector.

He outlined some of these reforms, including research on vaccines, the development of specialised pig breeds, the creation of a comprehensive database of pig farmers, and the construction of modern abattoirs.

Mr Maiha stated that the ministry would collaborate with the National Biotechnology Research Institute (NBRI) to produce and commercialise vaccines for African swine fever, describing it as a highly debilitating disease.

“In the next two to three years, we aim to produce 1.2 billion vaccine doses to strengthen disease control across board.

“Government will organise cooperatives to facilitate access to funding for genuine pig farmers to enhance breeding, feeding, and health management,” he said.

The minister urged the association to identify areas of interest that could drive higher productivity, such as processing, marketing, transportation, and cold storage.

(NAN)