The Federal Government has pledged to strengthen climate-smart livestock production, improve resilience across livestock value chains and reduce greenhouse gas emissions as Nigeria begins implementing its Third Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC 3.0).
The Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, stated this on Thursday, October 22, 2026, at the launch of Nigeria’s NDC 3.0 and inauguration of the National Steering Committee for the implementation of the NDC and Net-Zero Investment Plan.
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Maiha described the livestock sector as critical to Nigeria’s food security, employment generation, poverty reduction and economic growth, warning that climate change poses increasing threats to animal health, productivity and pastoral livelihoods.
He identified rising temperatures, droughts, floods, water scarcity, pasture degradation and changing disease patterns as major challenges affecting livestock production and the stability of value chains.
The Minister said the Ministry was promoting climate-smart and low-emission livestock production through a Climate-Smart Implementation Plan under the National Livestock Growth Acceleration Strategy.
According to him, the plan focuses on improving animal nutrition, feed conversion efficiency, livestock genetics, animal health services, herd management and manure management to reduce emissions while enhancing productivity and profitability.
He added that the Ministry was strengthening climate adaptation through sustainable water supply, fodder development and climate-resilient feed systems in selected grazing reserves and Livestock Development Centres.
Other interventions include improved disease surveillance, strengthened animal health infrastructure and early-warning systems to protect livestock against climate-related risks.
On climate data and accountability, Maiha disclosed that the Ministry was developing a livestock measurement, reporting, verification and certification system and conducting a methane baseline survey.
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He also revealed that five digital weather stations had been installed to provide information on atmospheric pressure, wind speed, humidity and soil conditions to support evidence-based planning.
The Minister stressed that successful implementation of NDC 3.0 would require increased investment, technology and strategic partnerships, noting that government resources alone were insufficient to drive the required transformation.
In his remarks, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, represented by Professor Babatunde Bolaji Bernard, described NDC 3.0 as a national development instrument that should guide government policies, budgets, infrastructure and investment decisions.
Similarly, the Director-General of the National Council on Climate Change, Mrs Omotenioye Majekodunmi, called for a shift from announcing climate commitments to implementation, investment and measurable results.
Majekodunmi said Nigeria’s NDC 3.0 sets an economy-wide target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 32 per cent by 2035, relative to the 2018 baseline, as part of the country’s pathway towards net-zero emissions by 2060.
She emphasised the need for credible project pipelines, transparent implementation programmes and policy certainty to attract public and private sector investment.
Development partners at the event also stressed the importance of international cooperation, technical assistance, climate financing and institutional capacity-building in translating Nigeria’s climate commitments into tangible results.
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative in Nigeria, Ms Elsie Gyekyewaa Attafuah, called for climate policies that deliver practical improvements in the lives and livelihoods of Nigerians.
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Attafuah noted that climate change was already affecting everyday activities, including agricultural production, transportation, public health and people’s ability to work.
She explained that climate action could improve food security, protect livelihoods, strengthen public health and enhance business competitiveness through climate-resilient agriculture, reliable clean energy and cleaner cooking solutions.