NIRSAL Plc has begun training livestock value chain actors to benefit from a $2.5bn investment deal, secured by President Bola Tinubu, with multinational meat processing company JBS.

According to a statement, NIRSAL Plc partnered with the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development to launch the Feedlot Management Training Programme recently in Abuja to equip local producers with modern livestock finishing and feed formulation skills needed to meet global meat standards.

NIRSAL plc, which stands for Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending, is a non-bank financial institution established by the Central Bank of Nigeria.

Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of NIRSAL Plc, Sa’ad Hamidu, said the programme aims to transform livestock businesses into bankable ventures that can supply export-grade beef.

He said, “This is not just another training; it is a targeted intervention aimed at creating bankable agribusinesses by improving feed formulation practices, reducing input waste, and optimising livestock finishing cycles for increased market value. We are preparing Nigerian livestock producers to feed not just the nation but the world.”

The NIRSAL-led programme coincides with the JBS plan to build six world-class meat processing plants in Nigeria, two of which will focus on beef production. According to the statement, JBS’s meat processing plants will drive demand for “premium feedstock from local producers”.

Participants in the training included representatives from the Ministry of Livestock Development, the Federal Capital Development Authority, the National Association of Cattle Dealers, Processors & Marketers of Nigeria, the Amalgamated Union of Foodstuff and Cattle Dealers of Nigeria, Maidoki Farms Ltd, and other key stakeholders.

Director of Ranch and Pastoral Resources Development at the Ministry of Livestock Development, Shekamang Ayuba, who also took part in the training, described the initiative as “eye-opening and apt”. He urged NIRSAL to replicate the training nationwide to unlock more opportunities in the meat value chain.

NIRSAL explained that Nigeria’s livestock sector had long been constrained by outdated practices, poor feed quality and limited financing but stands to benefit from the renewed focus on capacity development.

NIRSAL Plc MD, Hamidu, noted that the institution seeks to address structural weaknesses through a mix of technical training, value chain development, lender incentives and public-private collaboration.

It added that beyond the JBS deal, local firms such as ABIS Group are also making significant investments in meat processing, further raising the stakes for quality livestock production in Nigeria.

The CBN established NIRSAL in 2013 to transform and make agriculture attractive to finance by reducing risks. It has so far facilitated over N250bn into agricultural value chains.