The Nigerian Federal Government, through the Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Maiha, stated on Tuesday that reports claiming a nationwide ban on open grazing are “not true.”
Maiha clarified that the government is instead implementing a structured and phased transition from open grazing to modern ranching systems.
He confirmed that Nigeria possesses 273 gazetted grazing reserves covering over 4.5 million hectares. The Federal Government is collaborating with state governments to rehabilitate and equip these reserves to make them fully operational for pastoralists and livestock operators.
The Minister maintained that the transition plan does not abruptly outlaw open grazing but aims to establish alternatives that boost productivity, reduce farmer-herder conflicts, and create a sustainable livestock economy.
Maiha stressed that pastoralists need a structured business environment, and the legally provided grazing reserves are intended to be the “business premises” for livestock activities. He urged Nigerians to disregard misleading reports and rely only on official government communication for policy information.
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