The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) says the poultry sub-sector is the most commercialised of the agricultural sub-sectors with a current net worth of about US$5.3 billion.
The CBN Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, made the disclosure at a meeting with Vice
Chancellors of Universities on the University-Based Poultry Revival Programme in Abuja
on Monday.
Emefiele, represented by the CBN Deputy Governor on Economic Policy, Dr. Okwu Nnanna,
said that the sub- sector contributed about 25 percent of Agricultural GDP to the Nigerian
economy.
He explained that the population of chickens was about 165 million, which produce
approximately 650,000 tonnes and 300,00 tonnes of eggs and meat all together.
According to him, the demand situation is estimated at over 200 million birds, while the
demand for eggs and meat are about 790,000 tonnes and 1,500,000 tonnes, leaving a
huge demand gap which unfortunately, is met through smuggling.
He said it was estimated that over 1.2 million tonnes of poultry meat is smuggled into
Nigeria from Benin Republic by some unscrupulous Nigerians.
The CBN governor, who described the development as unfortunate, pledged that the
apex bank under his leadership would stop it.
He said that he was aware that the Nigerian poultry sector faced high production costs,
safety concerns due to lack of sanitary controls and technical constraints in processing
and marketing.
“Production costs are generally high due to lack of an integrated and automated industrial
poultry sector. Poultry producers lack reliable access to inputs, including chicks and feed as
well as high costs of veterinary services.
“More importantly, is the problem of lack of access to low cost, long tenured finance, which
though is not peculiar to the industry, but even others, and will be resolved.
“In spite of these constraints, there remains a huge potential for the industry in Nigeria.
The demand for poultry products is expanding as a result of population growth,” he said.
According to him, the Nigerian population is projected at 400 million by 2050 and 280 million
are projected to live in the cities, significantly increasing the demand for poultry products.
“Also, per capita consumption of chicken is still very low at 2.5kg in Nigeria, when compared
to Brazil and South Africa at 30kg and 40 kg.
“The per capita consumption of eggs in Nigeria is 60 eggs per annum compared to 250 to
300 eggs per annum in most advanced countries,” he explained.
Emefiele added that the school feeding programme of the present administration also
remained a huge potential yet to be fully tapped, saying that the poultry represented an
important source of high quality animal protein.
“In order to address this gap and unlock the potential of Nigerian poultry producers, the
CBN has initiated a programme to boost poultry production in Nigeria and various
institutions have been selected as part of the pilot team to run a University-based Poultry
Revival Programme.
“The initiative will produce chicken meat and egg to reduce importation and close the
existing demand and supply gap as well as to raise a new crop of agro entrepreneurs in
modern poultry production.
“This project will also provide infrastructure that will support the sustainable production
of poultry; and reduce pressure for foreign exchange demand through import substitution
by local poultry production,” he said.
MM/GIK/APA