The Federal Government has dismissed widespread reports suggesting that it has imposed a nationwide ban on open grazing, describing the information as misleading and false.
Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, clarified on Tuesday that the government has not announced any such ban. Instead, he said, Nigeria is implementing a gradual and well-structured transition from open grazing to modern ranching systems in line with global best practices.
The clarification was contained in a statement issued by Oghenekevwe Uchechukwu, Head of Press and Public Relations at the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development.
Maiha explained that Nigeria currently has 273 gazetted grazing reserves spanning over 4.5 million hectares, and the Federal Government is collaborating with state governments to revitalize and adequately equip these reserves for pastoralists and other livestock operators.
He stressed that the transition plan is not an abrupt abolition of open grazing, but a deliberate effort to provide viable alternatives that boost productivity, reduce farmer–herder conflicts, and build a sustainable livestock economy.
According to him, pastoralists deserve the same structured business environment as other economic groups.
His words:
“Pastoralists, like every other economic group, require a structured business environment.
The grazing reserves provided by law are meant to serve as business premises for all livestock activities.
Our responsibility is to upgrade these reserves and facilitate their proper utilisation.”
The Ministry urged the public to disregard reports suggesting a nationwide ban on open grazing and to rely solely on official government communication channels for accurate policy information.
