The Federal Government, in partnership with Nestlé Nigeria, has unveiled an initiative aimed at equipping Nigerian farmers with the technical skills needed to boost milk production and improve livelihoods.
The collaboration was announced on Monday at the signing of a letter between Nestle Nigeria and the Ministry of Livestock Development in commemoration of World Milk Day 2025. The initiative is designed to tackle critical challenges in the dairy value chain by developing mid-level vocational skills in dairy farming.
The programme will also provide practical training in areas such as milk production, processing, hygiene, and farm management, with the aim of improving both the quality and quantity of milk produced in Nigeria.
Speaking at the event, the Livestock minister, Mukhtar Maiha, said, “Since the establishment of the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development, we have taken significant steps to address the challenges facing the dairy value chain. Under the National Livestock Growth Acceleration Strategy, we are focusing on key pillars, including livestock value chain development and feed and fodder improvement.
“Our collaboration with Nestlé Nigeria will lead to the commissioning of a Dairy Training Centre in Paikon Kore, Gwagwalada, aimed at building mid-level manpower and training farmers to enhance productivity through modern practices.”
Also speaking at the signing ceremony, Managing Director and CEO of Nestlé Nigeria Wassim Elhusseini, emphasized the strategic importance of the collaboration. “In addition to our global dairy experience, Nestlé has built capacity to provide targeted training programs on best practices in dairy farming adapted to the Nigerian context.
“This is why the Letter of Intent signifies more than a formal agreement; it reflects our mutual dedication to bridge the gap in mid-level technical skills within the dairy sector to meet the growing demands of the market. We are confident that this will have a positive impact on our communities by creating more jobs, improving livelihoods, and supporting a stronger economy,” he said.
Elhusseini emphasised that Nestlé Nigeria’s contribution to dairy development began in 2019 with the launch of its Dairy Development Project. Since then, the company has established 83 dairy cooperatives, directly benefiting more than 3,000 milk producers.
And he also said that over 1m liters of raw milk have been aggregated, and over 2,000 milk producers have been trained in best practices. The company has also vaccinated nearly 37,000 cattle and constructed infrastructure, including 19 boreholes and 28 water troughs, to improve water access.
The impact of these efforts has been substantial. Rejection rates for milk dropped from 12 per cent in 2021 to 5 per cent in 2024, while average monthly revenue for milk producers has surged from N70,000 in 2019 to N250,000 in 2024.
Recently, Nestlé unveiled its Dairy Demonstration Farm, a model designed to showcase how improved practices can raise milk yields from 1 liter to over 10 liters per cow per day.
The success of this model prompted the Minister to invite Nestlé to convert the demonstration farm into a training institute, an invitation Nestlé enthusiastically accepted.
