By Ahmed Akanbi
Nigeria will only achieve dairy self-sufficiency if states and local governments take ownership of the sector, Prof. Demo Kalla has said.
Kalla, a member of the Presidential Livestock Reforms Implementation Committee, PLRIC, and Acting Director of the TETFUND Centre of Excellence on Dairy Research and Development, ATBU Bauchi, made the call during a panel session marking the 2026 World Milk Day.
The session, “Mainstreaming Dairy Development Policy at the Sub-national Level for Self-sufficiency: Opportunities, Challenges and Way Forward” was moderated by Radio Nigeria presenter Rita Ene Okwanihe.
Other panelists were Mr Snorri Sigurdsson, Head of Raw Milk Production, Arla Foods Nigeria; Dr Ishaq Bello, Special Adviser to the Minister of Livestock Development; Mr Brighton Ochieng, Chief Technical Officer, Promasidor Nigeria; and Hon. Adamu Mammagi Abdullahi, Niger State Commissioner for Livestock Development.
Setting the context, Kalla said mainstreaming dairy at the sub-national level means embedding it in state and local government planning, budgets, investment promotion and rural economic strategy.
“In practical terms, it means moving dairy development from being viewed as a federal livestock initiative to becoming a priority economic sector owned and driven by states and local governments,” he stated.
He described the gap as “the missing link between Nigeria’s enormous livestock potential and the realization of dairy self-sufficiency.”
“Milk is produced in communities, not in policy documents,” Kalla added. “The success of Nigeria’s dairy transformation agenda will ultimately depend on actions taken at the state and local levels.”
He urged states and LGAs to domesticate the National Dairy Policy, create investor-friendly frameworks, and promote milk as a “super food for nutritional security.”
On innovation, Kalla said universities, research institutions and extension services must drive the sector’s growth.
“They are the backbone of sustainable dairy development because they generate knowledge, adapt technologies and build human capacity,” he said.
“Our mandate is to solve immediate local problems at the sub-national level. They must become active partners in the dairy transformation agenda by supporting state governments, dairy cooperatives, processors, and producers with evidence-based solutions.”
He listed three priorities: demand-driven research, technology transfer through demonstration farms and digital platforms, and capacity building and skills development.
“The dairy industry we desire will not emerge from investments in infrastructure alone. It will be built on knowledge, innovation, skills, and partnerships,” Kalla stressed.
Announcing a concrete step, Kalla said the Dairy Research and Development Centre, DRDC, is ready to serve as a national platform for dairy science research, capacity building, innovation and knowledge sharing.
He called on the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development to strengthen multi-stakeholder collaboration to accelerate Nigeria’s path to milk self-sufficiency, improved nutrition and rural prosperity.
Earlier in his goodwill message, the Special Adviser to the President on Livestock Development, Prof. Attahiru Jega, OFR, said dairy development is a strategic economic enterprise that can create jobs, improve nutrition and reduce import dependence.
This year’s theme, “Celebrating Women Dairy Farmers: Promoting Fresh Milk Consumption for a Healthy Nation,” he said, recognizes women’s pivotal role in production, processing, marketing and value addition.
Jega, who is also Co-Chairman of PLRIC, noted that the United Nations has designated 2026 as the International Year of the Woman Farmer, IYWF 2026.
“For Nigeria’s dairy sector, it reinforces the imperative of empowering women dairy farmers through improved access to productive assets, finance, technology, skills development, markets, and leadership opportunities,” he said.
Jega added that under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, livestock reforms have placed dairy development at the heart of efforts to transform the livestock economy.
“Every litre of locally produced and consumed milk strengthens domestic value chains, creates opportunities for farmers and processors, improves household incomes, and contributes to national food and nutrition security,” Jega stated.
Jega said PLRIC remains committed to sustainable dairy development through policy reforms, investment promotion, breed improvement, pasture development, One Health, infrastructure expansion and stronger public-private partnerships.
He called on state governments, development partners, financial institutions, processors