FG Moves to Tackle Deadly Cattle Disease
Last update: April 11, 2026
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The Federal Government of Nigeria has Inaugurated Technical Task Force on CBPP.
The Federal Ministry of Livestock Development has inaugurated a Technical Working Group to coordinate national efforts against Contagious Bovine Pleuro-Pneumonia (CBPP), a persistent and economically damaging livestock disease in Nigeria.
CBI News reports that the inauguration was performed by the Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha in Abuja, while
describing CBPP as an endemic disease that continues to threaten Nigeria’s livestock productivity and global competitiveness,with an estimated cattle population of about 54.5 million one of the largest in Africa .
The Minister stressed the urgent need for stronger animal health systems to safeguard the sector, and revealed that recent data indicates at least 131 documented outbreaks across 17 states, cutting across all six geopolitical zones.
He cautioned that the actual burden may be significantly higher due to gaps in surveillance, reporting, and diagnostic capacity, noting that persistence of CBPP is driven by factors such as uncontrolled livestock movement, low vaccination coverage, and weak early detection systems.
He warned that if left unchecked, the disease will continue to cause economic losses, undermine food security, and limit Nigeria’s participation in regional and international livestock trade.
Maiha explained that the newly inaugurated Technical Working Group is designed as a high-level platform to develop a practical national control framework, adding that the group is expected to strengthen surveillance systems, improve vaccination strategies, modernize diagnostics, and enhance stakeholder engagement across the livestock value chain.
In her remarks, the Permanent Secretary, Dr. Chinyere Ijeoma Akujobi, reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to collaboration and innovation in tackling the disease, as development partners, including the World Health Organization, also pledged support, emphasizing the need for stronger surveillance systems and coordinated action to control and ultimately eradicate CBPP in Nigeria.
