FG Cracks Down on Poultry Import Quotas to Boost Local Production

"We want a very firm commitment from industry operators. This is about national security, job creation and livelihoods. Government support must translate into increased production, improved availability and better access for farmers across the country." Maiha

In a bid to eliminate supply shortages, reduce production costs, and stimulate growth in Nigeria's poultry sector, the Federal Government has unveiled new measures to tighten oversight of poultry import allocations and enforce stricter performance benchmarks across the industry. 

The initiative comes amid concerns over the underutilisation of approved import quotas by some operators, a situation that has contributed to recurring shortages of day-old chicks and constrained the expansion of poultry farming nationwide.

Speaking during a meeting with the Managing Director of Valentine Chickens, Leon Gunter, and the company's National Operations Manager, Samuel Adediji, on June 10, the Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, said government interventions must yield tangible benefits for farmers and consumers.

"We want a very firm commitment from industry operators. This is about national security, job creation and livelihoods. Government support must translate into increased production, improved availability and better access for farmers across the country," the minister stated.

Maiha noted that industry assessments revealed that a substantial number of approved poultry allocations had not been fully utilised, creating supply bottlenecks and contributing to rising costs of day-old chicks.

According to him, future allocations will be closely monitored and tied to performance to ensure that government support translates into increased output, affordability and sustainable sectoral growth.

"There is no reason why opportunities created through government support should not translate into increased production. Once approvals are granted, we expect implementation. Going forward, allocations will be closely monitored and linked to performance," he said.

In a move aimed at deepening local production capacity, Valentine Chickens presented a proposal for a $5.6 million investment in grandparent stock production infrastructure. The project, being developed in partnership with global poultry genetics leader , is designed to reduce dependence on imported parent stock and strengthen Nigeria's poultry value chain.

The proposal includes the establishment of specialised breeding facilities and advanced biosecurity systems capable of significantly increasing domestic poultry production.

Gunter described the initiative as a strategic investment in Nigeria's long-term poultry future.

"This is not simply the importation of day-old chicks; it is the importation of genetic capacity that can multiply into millions of locally produced birds and strengthen the country's poultry industry for the long term," he said.

According to projections, the annual importation of 116,800 grandparent breeding chicks could generate two million parent stock females, resulting in 273 million commercial broiler chickens and approximately 378,000 tonnes of chicken meat annually.

As part of broader reforms, the Ministry of Livestock Development is also establishing a centralised national database to monitor every imported grandparent stock and parent stock egg and chick. The system is expected to improve transparency, lower entry barriers for smallholder farmers and help ensure that domestic poultry supply meets growing consumer demand.

Industry stakeholders believe the measures could significantly strengthen food security, create jobs and accelerate the growth of Nigeria's poultry industry.