Jega warns of looming protein deficit, food insecurity in Nigeria

The Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Livestock Reforms, Professor Attahiru Jega, has sounded an urgent alarm over Nigeria’s growing protein deficit and worsening food insecurity. He called for immediate and strategic reforms to transform the country’s livestock sector.

Jega made these remarks on Monday, June 30, 2025, during a lecture at the University of Ilorin titled “The Political Economy of Livestock Development in Nigeria: Challenges and Prospects.” The event formed part of the university’s 50th anniversary celebrations in honour of Senator Saliu Mustapha.

Highlighting the critical role of the livestock industry in national development, Jega warned that Nigeria’s rapidly increasing population—projected to reach nearly 400 million by 2050—could face severe nutritional and economic crises without proactive interventions.

> “Demographic shifts and evolving dietary preferences are set to place unprecedented pressure on Nigeria’s livestock systems in the coming decades,” he said.