Ex-INEC Chairman Appointed as Presidential Adviser on Livestock Reforms

 

In a strategic move to revamp Nigeria’s livestock sector, President Bola Tinubu has appointed Attahiru Jega, former chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), as Adviser and Coordinator of the Presidential Livestock Reforms Initiative.

The appointment was announced on Friday evening in a statement by Bayo Onanuga, the presidential adviser on information and strategy. Jega’s new role is expected to drive the administration’s renewed efforts to modernize and commercialize livestock farming in Nigeria.

Before his appointment, Jega served as co-chairman of the Presidential Livestock Reforms Implementation Committee, playing a key role in shaping policies aimed at improving livestock farming and resolving conflicts between herders and farmers.

President Tinubu has repeatedly emphasized the urgent need to transform Nigeria’s livestock industry, lamenting years of neglect and missed opportunities for economic growth. He believes that with proper reforms, the sector can be a major contributor to the nation’s economy.

In 2023, the president approved the establishment of a livestock committee to address, clashes between herders and farmers, strengthening livestock and dairy production and implementing sustainable agricultural policies.

This committee was formed after Tinubu reviewed the National Conference on Livestock Reforms and Mitigation of Associated Conflicts in Nigeria report. With Jega now leading this initiative, expectations are high for practical solutions to long-standing issues in the sector.

As policies take shape, stakeholders in the agriculture sector will be watching closely to see how these reforms unfold.