Nigeria Targets $2.5bn Global Beef Market Through Strategic FDI

By Oluwakemi Kindness

In a strategic move to position Nigeria as a major supplier of quality beef to both domestic and international markets, the Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL Plc), in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development, has launched a Feedlot Management Training Programme.

The programme, which held its inaugural session in Abuja, is designed to equip livestock value chain stakeholders with the technical skills needed to meet the rising demand for premium feedstock, following a recently signed $2.5 billion Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) agreement between Nigeria and global meatpacking giant, JBS.

The JBS partnership, sealed by President Bola Tinubu, will see the construction of six modern meat processing plants across the country—two of which will be dedicated to beef production.

The development is expected to significantly boost Nigeria’s meat exports and stimulate growth within the livestock sector.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, NIRSAL Plc Managing Director and CEO, Sa’ad Hamidu, describes the initiative as a targeted intervention aimed at transforming traditional livestock practices into viable agribusinesses.

“This is not just another training,” Hamidu said. “It is a focused effort to create bankable enterprises by improving feed formulation, reducing input waste, and optimising livestock finishing cycles. We are preparing Nigerian livestock producers to feed not just the nation, but the world.”

According to NIRSAL, the training aims to enhance productivity and profitability among livestock producers, while supporting the broader goal of producing export-grade meat in Nigeria.

Participants in the first cohort included representatives from the Ministry of Livestock Development, the Agricultural Department of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), the National Association of Cattle Dealers, Processors and Marketers of Nigeria (NACDPMAN), the Amalgamated Union of Foodstuff and Cattle Dealers of Nigeria (AUFCDN), Maidoki Farms Ltd, and other stakeholders in the livestock value chain.

Director of Ranch and Pastoral Resources Development at the Ministry, Shekamang Ayuba, who also participated in the training, praised the programme as both timely and transformative. He urged its expansion nationwide to strengthen the country’s readiness for the expected uptick in beef production and processing.

While the $2.5 billion deal with JBS is the most prominent, it is not the only investment targeting Nigeria’s livestock industry.

Indigenous firms such as ABIS Group have also begun making substantial contributions to the meat value chain, further driving demand for high-quality feedstock and improved livestock management practices.

The Feedlot Management Training Programme forms part of NIRSAL’s broader strategy to unlock value in Nigeria’s livestock sector through a combination of technical capacity building, risk-sharing incentives for lenders, comprehensive value chain support, and strategic public-private collaborations.

Experts believe the initiative could play a crucial role in addressing long-standing challenges in the sector, including outdated production methods, limited financing, and poor-quality feed—thereby paving the way for a more competitive and export-oriented livestock industry.