Hammed Shittu in Ilorin
The Kwara State Government yesterday unveiled ambitious plans to position the state as a major player in Nigeria’s rapidly expanding livestock economy projected to grow from an estimated $32 billion to over $70 billion in the coming years.
Commissioner for Livestock Development, Mrs. Oloruntoyosi Thomas, disclosed this while delivering a keynote address at the 2026 Press Week of the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Kwara State Council.
Speaking on the theme, “Livestock Development in a Changing Economy: Innovation, Opportunities and the Role of Strategic Communication in National Growth,” Thomas described livestock as one of the most promising sectors capable of driving economic transformation, industrialization and job creation in Nigeria.
According to her, the administration of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq is deliberately moving beyond subsistence animal production into a fully commercialized and industrialized livestock economy through strategic investments and policy interventions.
She said the government’s goals include improving productivity, strengthening livestock value chains, encouraging private investment, reducing imports and positioning Nigeria competitively in the global livestock market.
Thomas explained the state is leveraging projects such as the Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support Project (LPRES) and the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone (SAPZ) to drive commercialization.
She said the SAPZ initiative would provide critical infrastructure including roads, power, cold storage facilities, abattoirs, veterinary clinics, artificial insemination centres, cargo facilities and residential accommodation for investors and processors.
“This is not accidental. It reflects leadership, foresight and a clear understanding that the future of Nigeria’s economy lies in productive sectors capable of generating sustainable wealth and employment,” she said.
Earlier, Chairman of the Correspondents’ Chapel, Biola Azeez, welcomed guests to the event, describing the chapel as Kwara’s elite reportorial core with a longstanding tradition of professional journalism.
He said members of the chapel cut across national and international media organisations, playing critical roles in shaping public discourse and development reporting.
