The Federal Government has taken a major step towards improving data management in Nigeria’s livestock sector with the validation of the National Livestock Information Management System (NLIMS), a digital platform designed to centralise livestock data and support evidence-based decision-making.
The validation exercise, held in Abuja, forms part of the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development’s efforts to build a modern, productive, and globally competitive livestock industry capable of driving food security, employment, and economic growth.
Speaking during the exercise, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr. Chinyere Ijeoma Akujobi, said the development marks an important milestone in creating the institutional framework needed to transform the livestock sector. Represented by the Director of Planning, Research and Statistics, Stephen Ohaeri, she noted that reliable data is critical to improving planning, monitoring, and investment across the industry.
According to her, the National Livestock Information Management System was developed to address the long-standing challenge of fragmented livestock data by providing a centralised platform for collecting, managing, analysing, and reporting information across the sector.
She explained that the platform will support evidence-based policymaking, strengthen programme monitoring, improve sector oversight, and provide reliable data to guide investment decisions and measure the impact of government interventions.
Currently, information relating to animal populations, production systems, markets, animal health, value chains, and overall sector performance is scattered across multiple institutions, making effective planning and coordination difficult.
The validation exercise reviewed the proposed architecture and prototype of the platform to ensure it meets the operational needs of the Ministry before full deployment.
During the session, developers showcased key features of the system, including mobile and web-based data collection, integration with existing Ministry databases, automated data exchange with partner institutions, multi-layer data validation processes, and a centralised data warehouse.
The platform is expected to aggregate information from field officers, state coordinators, Ministry departments, livestock associations, development partners, and other relevant stakeholders, creating what the Ministry described as a single, reliable source of livestock data in Nigeria.
NLIMS also features dedicated modules covering livestock population and production, markets and trade intelligence, infrastructure and support services, institutional stakeholders, planning and reporting, conflict management, and integrated animal identification and traceability systems.
According to the developers, the platform will provide real-time access to critical information across the livestock value chain, enabling policymakers, investors, and industry stakeholders to make faster and better-informed decisions.
For livestock farmers, agribusinesses, processors, and investors, the platform could improve access to reliable market information, strengthen disease surveillance, enhance traceability for domestic and export markets, and support better planning for investments across the livestock value chain. A centralised database could also make it easier for government and development partners to design targeted interventions that address the sector’s most pressing challenges.
Participants at the validation exercise expressed confidence that successful implementation of the platform would strengthen data governance, improve institutional coordination, and enhance the Ministry’s ability to deliver programmes that support sustainable livestock development.
The initiative is expected to improve planning and oversight in a sector where information has historically been fragmented, allowing policymakers to monitor performance more effectively and allocate resources where they are most needed.
The validation of NLIMS builds on the Federal Government’s broader efforts to modernise Nigeria’s livestock industry. Earlier this year, the government announced plans to reform the country’s livestock export framework as part of measures to unlock opportunities in a market estimated at $3.2 billion. The latest digital platform is expected to complement those reforms by providing the reliable data needed to improve productivity, strengthen value chains, and expand market access.