By Stella Odueme
The Minister of Livestock Development, Alhaji Mukhtar Idi Maiha, has reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to strengthening biosecurity, disease surveillance, and stakeholder collaboration to safeguard Nigeria’s pig industry against the growing threat of African Swine Fever (ASF).
The Minister made this known during a technical presentation on the current status of African Swine Fever in Nigeria.
According to the Deputy Director, Press and Public Relations, Henrietta Okokon,on a statement on Thursday, he commended Dr. Yakubu Yanet Ago, for his comprehensive presentation and for sharing valuable lessons from his recent study visit to Denmark, where he observed internationally recognised best practices in pig production, disease prevention, and biosecurity management.
The Minister described the presentation , as insightful and emphasized that the knowledge and experiences gained should be translated into practical strategies capable of addressing Nigeria’s livestock health challenges, particularly in strengthening the country’s preparedness and response to African Swine Fever.
Drawing lessons from Denmark, the Minister highlighted the country’s pig traceability and compensation system, where every pig is identified and tracked from birth until slaughter or export.
He explained that pig producers contribute through statutory levies to a dedicated compensation fund, ensuring that farmers receive adequate support whenever disease outbreaks occur.
According to him, such sustainable financing mechanism encourages timely disease reporting, enhances transparency, and provides an effective model that Nigeria can adapt.
The Minister further explained that , Denmark has instituted stringent biosecurity measures to prevent disease transmission, including protective fencing to restrict the movement of wild boars, mandatory cleaning and disinfection of vehicles transporting pigs before leaving farms, at border entry points, and before returning to production facilities.
Earlier, the Chief Veterinary Officer and National Programme Coordinator, Dr. Yakubu Yanet Ago, shared insights from his study visit to Denmark, where he observed how pig farmers collectively contribute to dedicated funds that support disease control programmes and reinforce biosecurity measures, particularly at national borders.
In his presentation, Dr. Ago described African Swine Fever as the pig industry’s equivalent of Avian Influenza in poultry and Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR) in small ruminants. He explained that ASF is a highly contagious viral transboundary animal disease with mortality rates of up to 100 per cent.
He disclosed that, outbreaks of the disease have been reported in about twelve states across the country and stressed that, since animal disease control is a shared responsibility under Nigeria’s concurrent legislative framework, effective prevention, control, and eventual eradication of ASF require coordinated efforts by the Federal, State, and Local Governments.
Minister advocates Stronger Biosecurity Surveillance to Protect Nigeria’s Pig Industry from African Swine
