The Federal Government, in partnership with the Katsina State Government, is moving to convert approximately 123,000 hectares of designated grazing reserves in Katsina into modern ranches and livestock support facilities, as part of a national plan to modernise livestock production and expand Nigeria’s halal meat export market.
The Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, disclosed this during a meeting with Governor Dikko Umaru Radda at the ministry’s headquarters in Abuja.
Maiha commended Katsina State for what he described as an uncommon level of preparedness in the livestock sector, noting that the state had already created its own Ministry of Livestock Development and established what is believed to be the country’s largest goat breeding facility, with a herd of more than 3,000 goats.
He said the new partnership will focus on upgrading and utilising roughly 123,000 hectares of grazing reserves in the state for intensive ranching, feed production, animal health services and broader livestock value-chain infrastructure.
“We will work closely with the Katsina State Government to develop modern ranches and livestock infrastructure that can boost productivity and generate jobs across the value chain,” Maiha said.
He added that his ministry will undertake an assessment visit to Katsina in the coming days to identify priority sites and finalise timelines for implementation.
Governor Radda described the creation of the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development as “a bold and visionary step,” saying it signalled a shift away from subsistence herding toward structured, commercially viable animal production.
Radda noted that Katsina is historically one of the country’s livestock hubs, with more than 90 per cent of its population involved in agriculture and animal husbandry. He said insecurity, weak animal health systems and the absence of modern ranching infrastructure had constrained growth for years — challenges he believes the new partnership can begin to solve.
Beyond domestic supply, Radda outlined plans to position Katsina for export.
He said the state is working to establish halal meat processing plants through public-private partnerships, targeting certified beef and goat meat exports to Middle Eastern markets. According to him, this would not only increase foreign exchange earnings for the state but also formalise parts of an already active but largely informal livestock trade.
“Our goal is to make Katsina the northern hub for halal meat production and export,” the governor said. “This will create jobs, attract investors and grow the state’s economy.”
Radda also asked that Katsina be fully captured in upcoming federal livestock development programmes, and requested technical support from the ministry in areas such as ranch design, feed production, veterinary services and logistics.
Both sides said the ranching model — as opposed to open grazing — would improve yields, reduce farmer-herder conflict, and help the state unlock more value from cattle, goats and sheep through breeding, fattening, processing and certified meat exports.
