The federal government has inaugurated a 33-member National Technical Working Group to coordinate Nigeria’s efforts to control and eradicate Peste des Petits Ruminants, a highly contagious livestock disease that continues to threaten sheep and goats across the country.
The Technical Working Group was inaugurated on Tuesday, January 13, 2026, in Abuja by the Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, who described PPR as one of the most destructive transboundary animal diseases affecting Nigeria and other endemic regions. He warned that beyond animal health, the disease poses serious risks to food and nutrition security, livestock trade, and the livelihoods of pastoralists and smallholder farmers.
Maiha noted that small ruminants are particularly important to women, young people and vulnerable rural households, serving as accessible assets for income generation, household nutrition and financial stability. According to him, the continued spread of PPR undermines these benefits and weakens rural economies that rely heavily on small-scale livestock production.
“Controlling and ultimately eradicating PPR is not only a veterinary necessity, but an economic, social and developmental priority for Nigeria,” the minister said. He added that successful elimination of the disease would support economic diversification, reduce poverty, empower women and youth, and strengthen Nigeria’s position in regional and international livestock markets.
He urged members of the Technical Working Group to approach their assignment with professionalism and dedication, assuring them of full policy and institutional backing from the ministry to deliver measurable results.
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Livestock Development, Dr Chinyere Ijeoma Akujobi, described the working group as a critical bridge between policy and action. Represented by the Chief Veterinary Officer of Nigeria, Dr Samuel Anzaku, she explained that the group will provide technical oversight for PPR prevention and eradication efforts nationwide.
She said the group will support the implementation of the National PPR Control and Eradication Roadmap while strengthening surveillance, vaccination, diagnostics and data management systems. The working group is also expected to improve coordination among federal and state agencies, research institutions, development partners, private sector players and livestock farmers to ensure a harmonised and sustainable response.
Earlier, the Head of the Department of Animal Health and Reproductive Services, Dr Michael Alao Mitchell, described the inauguration as a major milestone in strengthening Nigeria’s animal health systems and protecting rural livelihoods from preventable livestock diseases.
The event attracted stakeholders from research institutions, veterinary hospitals, livestock farmer associations, development partners and the private sector, highlighting broad-based commitment to safeguarding Nigeria’s livestock economy and the millions of small-scale producers who depend on it.
