The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to eradicating the deadly Peste des Petits Ruminants, PPR, a viral disease affecting sheep and goats, to protect livelihoods, strengthen the livestock sector and support food security.
The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Livestock Development, Dr Chinyere Akujobi, gave the assurance in Abuja at a workshop to review and align the National Strategic Plan for the Control and Eradication of PPR in Nigeria.
The workshop was organised by the Pan-African Secretariat for the Eradication of PPR, funded by the European Union, in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development.
Akujobi said small ruminants remained the primary economic safety net for millions of households, making their protection central to the government’s agricultural transformation agenda.
She described PPR as one of the most economically devastating transboundary animal diseases affecting sheep and goats across Africa, Asia and parts of the Middle East.
She stressed that the disease continues to threaten livelihoods, reduce household incomes and constrain the growth of the livestock sector.
Akujobi said Nigeria’s large small-ruminant population and its extensive transboundary trade with Niger, Benin, Cameroon and Chad made the country’s efforts critical to the success of the livestock economy across West Africa.