Nigeria and the Kingdom of Denmark have strengthened their bilateral cooperation in livestock development with the signing of a new agreement aimed at enhancing food security, animal health, disease prevention, and agricultural innovation.
The two countries on Sunday signed a Letter of Intent (LoI) for the second phase of the Strategic Sector Cooperation (SSC) Programme in Livestock Production, marking a renewed commitment to transforming Nigeria’s livestock sector through technical collaboration and knowledge exchange.
This was contained in a statement on Monday, 8th June, 2026, by Henrietta Okokon, Deputy Director, Information and Public Relations Department.
The agreement was signed in Abuja by the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development and the Danish Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries.
Speaking during the signing ceremony, the Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, described the pact as a significant step towards building a modern, resilient, and globally competitive livestock industry.
According to him, the partnership has evolved into a model of international cooperation and has already produced notable results in strengthening institutional capacity across the livestock value chain.
Maiha disclosed that more than 100 Nigerian officials have received specialised training under the programme in areas including food and feed safety management, animal disease surveillance, antimicrobial resistance control, climate adaptation, and veterinary regulation.
He also announced the launch of a joint antimicrobial resistance pilot programme in Oyo and Kano states, describing it as one of the practical outcomes of the collaboration.
The Danish Ambassador to Nigeria, Jens Ole Bach Hansen, said the second phase of the programme would move beyond institutional strengthening to focus on practical implementation and direct support for farmers.
He noted that priority areas would include disease prevention, biosecurity measures, surveillance systems, and interventions aimed at improving livestock value chains.
Also speaking, the Director of Food Safety and Applied Nutrition at the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Eva Edwards, reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to deepening cooperation in food safety and veterinary regulation.
She said collaboration would focus on feed management, traceability systems, veterinary drug regulation, and data sharing to promote sustainable and resilient food safety systems.
Representing the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration, Project Manager Alex Sigersen commended Nigerian institutions and stakeholders for their commitment to the programme.
He expressed confidence that the next phase would translate technical cooperation into tangible benefits for livestock farmers, rural communities, and the wider agricultural sector.
The ceremony was attended by the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development, Dr. Chinyere Ijeoma Akujobi, directors and senior officials of the ministry, representatives of NAFDAC, as well as officials from the Danish Embassy and the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration.
The new agreement is expected to accelerate ongoing reforms in Nigeria’s livestock sector while strengthening efforts to improve food and nutrition security, enhance animal health standards, and increase the sector’s contribution to national economic growth.