The federal government has established a Technical Working Group (TWG) to combat Contagious Bovine Pleuro-Pneumonia (CBPP), a disease affecting cattle across Nigeria. Dr. Idi Mukhtar Maiha, Minister of Livestock Development, inaugurated the group on Tuesday in Abuja. He stated that CBPP remains endemic in the country and is a major obstacle to livestock development and national food security. The TWG includes experts from the Ministry of Livestock Development, veterinary officers, disease control specialists, and representatives from the National Animal Production Research Institute (NAPRI). Their mandate is to design a strategic framework for surveillance, rapid response, vaccination campaigns, and public awareness to contain the disease. The minister emphasized the need for coordinated action across states, especially in high-risk zones where cattle movement is frequent. No funding figure or implementation timeline was disclosed during the inauguration.
Dr. Idi Mukhtar Maiha's inauguration of a technical group to tackle CBPP reveals a reactive approach to a crisis that has been simmering for years. The fact that the disease is described as endemic suggests it is not new, yet the federal government is only now forming a working group, indicating prolonged inaction or fragmented oversight in animal health policy.
This move unfolds against a backdrop of increasing pressure on Nigeria's livestock sector, where cattle rearers in the north and middle belt face recurring losses from disease and conflict. The inclusion of NAPRI and veterinary officers signals recognition of technical capacity, but the absence of a clear budget or timeline raises doubts about urgency. The focus on high-risk zones hints at the intersection of animal health and regional instability, where cattle movement is often linked to farmer-herder tensions.
Ordinary herders, particularly small-scale pastoralists, bear the immediate cost of CBPP outbreaks through lost animals and income. Delayed interventions mean vaccines and veterinary services arrive too late, deepening rural poverty. For millions dependent on cattle for livelihood and nutrition, another plan without swift execution offers little relief.
This story fits a broader pattern: the federal government's tendency to announce structures rather than deliver measurable outcomes in agriculture and animal health.
