The Federal Government and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) are strengthening disease surveillance and biosecurity measures across Nigeria’s poultry value chain to prevent the spread of Avian Influenza, commonly known as bird flu.
The initiative focuses on improving the capacity of stakeholders to detect, prevent, manage and control disease outbreaks through enhanced surveillance and evidence-based interventions.
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The Head of the Department of Animal Health and Reproductive Services and National Programme Coordinator of the Avian Influenza Control Programme at the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development, Dr Mitchell Alao, disclosed this on Wednesday, November 11, 2026, in Abuja.
He spoke during the ongoing National Workshop and Training on the Avian Influenza Decision Support Tool, which included a joint field assessment at Wuse Market.
Dr Alao explained that the market assessment was designed to engage poultry traders and other operators in the value chain in identifying potential disease transmission risks and understanding poultry business operations.
He said the team examined the movement of poultry birds from different parts of the country, particularly the North-West and North-East, into the market, including transportation and distribution patterns that sometimes take place at night.
The assessment also covered existing biosecurity measures, poultry handling procedures, animal welfare standards, slaughtering practices and general sanitary conditions.
According to him, the exercise identified gaps requiring attention, stressing the importance of the One Health approach in addressing animal health risks.
Dr Alao explained that the FAO-developed Avian Influenza Decision Support Tool was being deployed during the training to strengthen risk assessment, improve disease surveillance and support informed decision-making.
Similarly, the FAO Country Team Lead for Livestock in Nigeria, Dr Otto Vianney, said the market visit was aimed at gathering information on the sources of poultry birds, transportation routes, movement patterns and duration of stay at the market.
He warned that markets receiving poultry from areas experiencing disease outbreaks could become potential transmission hotspots.
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Dr Vianney noted that Abuja’s strategic position as a major distribution centre could facilitate the spread of infection to other destinations if adequate preventive measures were not implemented.
He cited the possibility of infected poultry transported from Sokoto and other parts of the country spreading the disease through markets to other locations.
He added that FAO, in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development and other stakeholders, would support efforts to strengthen biosecurity practices at the market to prevent infections from spreading to poultry farms and surrounding communities.
Dr Vianney said information gathered during the assessment would be integrated into the Decision Support Tool to improve risk analysis and provide reliable data for policy formulation and strategic interventions.
He explained that the information would also assist government officials, including the Minister of Livestock Development, in making informed decisions on Avian Influenza prevention and control.
The FAO representative pledged continued technical assistance, capacity building and deployment of innovative decision-support mechanisms to strengthen Nigeria’s livestock development agenda.
Meanwhile, poultry traders at Wuse Market welcomed the assessment, describing it as an important step towards improving awareness and disease prevention practices in the poultry business.
Among those who interacted with the visiting team were former Secretary of the Chicken Association, Mr Shaibu Saminu, who has more than 35 years of experience in the business; Mr Usman Dodo, with 40 years of experience; and Mr Haruna Ado, who has spent 30 years in the trade.
Mr Saminu disclosed that the poultry business at Wuse Market provides livelihoods for more than 200 people and handles over one million live birds, including broilers, spent layers, local chickens, guinea fowls and pigeons.
The national workshop also featured technical sessions during which participants received practical training on applying the Avian Influenza Decision Support Tool.
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The sessions focused on geographical mapping of disease outbreaks, identifying populations at risk, tracing transmission pathways and assessing seasonal variations, water-related factors and other indicators that could influence disease spread.
The initiative is expected to strengthen Nigeria’s animal health surveillance system, promote the One Health approach and improve preparedness against disease outbreaks across the livestock sector.