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Fulani pastoralist leaders have urged President Bola Tinubu and the National Assembly to allocate at least 30 per cent of Nigeria’s agricultural budget to the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development, arguing that increased funding is essential to modernise livestock production and improve the livelihoods of herders.
The demands were presented in Abuja by Abdullahi Ardo, General Secretary of the Kautal Pulaku Fulbe Association of Nigeria, speaking on behalf of a coalition of pastoralist groups. The leaders said the ministry needs adequate funding and a clear operational framework to deliver programmes that directly benefit livestock farmers and pastoralist communities.
They also called on the Federal Government to protect the country’s 417 grazing reserves and establish pilot ranches and fodder-production projects across the six geopolitical zones. According to the coalition, these measures could improve livestock management, increase productivity and reduce disputes over access to grazing land and water.
Beyond funding and infrastructure, the leaders requested a national dialogue involving herders, farmers, traditional rulers, religious leaders, security agencies and state governments. They said the proposed discussions should address insecurity, compensation for victims, justice and peaceful coexistence, while also calling for investigations into reported killings of pastoralists in several states.
The coalition commended Tinubu for establishing the livestock development ministry in 2024 but urged his administration to translate the initiative into practical action at the community level. The demands come amid continuing concerns over farmer-herder conflicts and the need for policies that can strengthen agricultural production while improving security and relations between affected communities.
