Prof. Eustace Iyayi, Senior Special Assistant to the Minister of Livestock Development, has revealed that Nigeria requires 1.7 million metric tonnes of milk annually but currently produces only about 600,000 to 700,000 metric tonnes.
Speaking in an interview on Sunday in Abuja to mark World Milk Day, Iyayi, who highlighted the significant shortfall in local milk production, explained that the deficit forced the country to spend billions of naira annually on imports.
“The deficit in milk production is substantial, and the cost of importing this gap runs into billions of naira every year.
“These funds could instead be reinvested into our economy by increasing livestock numbers and improving the productivity of our milking animals through backward integration,” he told NAN.
Iyayi urged Nigerians to “embrace dairy” to boost local milk production and availability.
“The 2025 World Milk Day theme, “Let’s Celebrate Dairy,” underscores the importance of dairy products within the livestock value chain and their vital nutritional and economic contributions to the country.
“We must work to eliminate the production gap by upscaling milk yield through improved animal husbandry practices,” Iyayi added.
World Milk Day, established by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations, is celebrated globally on June 1 to recognise milk’s essential role in nutrition, especially for children.
Milk is critical in combating malnutrition and supporting healthy growth and development.