Vice President Kashim Shettima, on Thursday, presided over the 156th National Economic Council meeting at the Aso Rock Villa, Abuja.
The hybrid meeting, which began at 4:17 pm local time on Thursday, is the second gathering of the council since President Bola Tinubu directed the NEC to identify and rehabilitate grazing reserves into ranches.
Tinubu gave the directive at the Federal Executive Council meeting held on December 10, 2025.
He tasked NEC to collaborate with the Ministry of Livestock Development in developing a roadmap for transforming Nigeria’s livestock industry.
“We must eliminate the possibility of conflicts and turn the livestock reform into economically viable development. The opportunity is there. Let’s utilise it,” Tinubu had said.
At its 155th meeting held on December 18 2025, NEC responded by inaugurating a committee on livestock development to expedite the implementation of livestock production and ranching reforms nationwide.
The committee, chaired by Kebbi State Governor Nasir Idris, comprises representatives from each of Nigeria’s six geo-political zones: Bauchi for the North-East, Niger for the North-Central, Ondo for the South-West, Imo for the South-East, Cross River for the South-South, and Kebbi for the North-West.
Other members include the Ministers of Livestock Development, Agriculture and Food Security, Budget and Economic Planning, and the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Agribusiness.
The committee was tasked to review recommendations from the Presidential Livestock Reform Committee and the Ministry of Livestock Development, as well as identify interested states for the programme’s implementation.