Nigeria to deploy 780 veterinarians to rural livestock clusters

The Nigerian government, through the Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support Project (L-PRES), is launching a Private Veterinary Service (PVS) programme to address professional shortages in rural areas. The initiative aims to deploy 780 private veterinarians and veterinary para-professionals to over 1,000 livestock clusters across 13 states.

National Project Coordinator Dr. Sanusi Abubakar noted that while over 80 per cent of Nigeria’s veterinarians work in the private sector, most are concentrated in urban centers. This shortage has hindered disease control and productivity for rural farmers. The public-private partnership is expected to reach at least 26,000 livestock farmers, strengthen disease surveillance, and create employment for young professionals.

In Kwara State, the programme is already active, with local officials reporting that the initiative has facilitated the vaccination of more than 250,000 animals against major livestock diseases.