Kaduna State is intensifying efforts to expand local milk production as Nigeria continues to spend about $1.5 billion annually on imported milk and dairy products.
The initiative is centred on the Damau Household Milk Farm in Kubau Local Government Area, where Arla Foods invested €10 million in modern dairy production. The facility is expected to produce between four million and five million kilogrammes of milk annually at full capacity.
The state government is also targeting the integration of 1,000 pastoralist households into organised dairy production, with access to improved cattle, veterinary services and structured markets.
The initiative is expected to strengthen local milk supply, create jobs and support dairy processing. However, inadequate infrastructure, low cattle productivity and limited access to finance remain challenges facing Nigeria’s dairy industry.
Kaduna’s investment drive is expected to contribute to reducing milk imports while creating new opportunities across the country’s dairy value chain.
Sources: BusinessDay Kaduna’s dairy revolution; Kaduna State Government; The Punch: MAN’s dairy industry assessment
