Nigeria’s animal health sector has taken a significant step forward with the launch of the country’s first Tele-Veterinary call centre in Lagos, designed to provide immediate support for farmers and pet owners facing livestock and animal health concerns. The platform, commissioned at the Lagos State Ministry of Agriculture and Food Systems Animal Hospital in Oko-Oba, Agege, is expected to improve disease surveillance, reduce losses in production, and strengthen public health through technology-enabled veterinary care.
The commissioner for Agriculture and Food Systems, who described the initiative as historic, said the innovation marks a new phase for livestock production, food safety, and public health protection in Lagos and across Nigeria. She noted that the Tele-VET service will serve as a strategic tool for managing zoonotic diseases, boosting productivity among animal farmers, and aligning with the global One World, One Health approach, which recognises the link between human, animal, and environmental health.
Healthy animals, she noted, translate into better yields, more resilient livelihoods, and greater food security for households. The call centre was developed in partnership with Etsu Digital Nigeria and is part of Lagos State’s commitment to deploying technology to modernise agriculture, improve veterinary access, and reduce preventable losses in livestock production.
For many years, farmers and pet owners—especially in underserved communities—have struggled with limited access to veterinary services, often resulting in late response to animal illnesses and increased mortality rates. The Tele-Veterinary call centre is designed to close this gap, offering real-time access to certified veterinary experts who can provide first aid support, disease prevention guidance, and professional advice for livestock, pets, and even crops.
The platform will also complement two existing mobile-based services already active on MTN and Glo networks: M-Agric, a channel offering daily tips and value-chain mentorship for farmers with more than N50 million rewarded to beneficiaries so far, and M-Health, which delivers tele-veterinary advice for livestock and pets. Users across Lagos and Nigeria can subscribe by dialling *20791# for direct access to these services.
The newly launched centre operates round-the-clock and is fully staffed by Lagos State Veterinary Consultants. Beyond emergency response, it offers disease prevention support and routine guidance, while creating opportunities for future innovations such as livestock and pet health insurance, e-commerce for animal services and products, mobile veterinary care expansion, and access to finance for livestock owners.
The state government expects the service to cut down animal mortality, improve disease reporting, enhance policy planning through data collection, and strengthen veterinary hospitals and field operations. The platform is positioned to serve communities across Lagos and beyond, including Ikorodu, Epe, Surulere, and Agege, enhancing access to professional animal-care support nationwide.
The commissioner expressed appreciation to Etsu Digital Nigeria for partnering in the development and rollout of the initiative and reaffirmed Lagos State’s commitment to a modern, technology-driven agricultural ecosystem that protects both farmers and consumers.
