The Federal Government has directed a technical working group on Contagious Bovine Pleuropneumonia to scale up vaccination efforts across the country in a renewed push to eradicate the disease.
The Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Maiha, gave the directive on Friday during the inauguration of the committee in Abuja.
CBPP, a highly infectious bacterial disease affecting cattle, causes severe pneumonia and is often fatal, leading to significant losses in livestock production and economic setbacks in affected regions.
Maiha lamented that the disease remains endemic in Nigeria, posing a major threat to the country’s livestock sector and food security ambitions.
He noted that Nigeria, with an estimated cattle population of over 50 million, bears a heavy responsibility to effectively manage animal health risks.
According to him, recent epidemiological data indicate the widespread presence of the disease, with outbreaks reported across several states and spanning all geopolitical zones.
He disclosed that no fewer than 131 outbreaks had been officially recorded, excluding unreported cases, underscoring the urgency of decisive intervention.
The minister described the newly inaugurated committee as a strategic platform expected to drive coordinated efforts towards controlling and eventually eliminating the disease.
He said the group would provide policy direction, strengthen surveillance systems, and enhance the effectiveness of vaccination programmes nationwide.
Maiha added that the committee would also support the modernisation of emergency response mechanisms to ensure swift containment of outbreaks.
He urged members to develop a comprehensive national strategy for sustainable disease control, including engagement with livestock owners and other stakeholders.
The minister further advised the team to study successful models from African countries such as Botswana, Zimbabwe and Namibia, which have been certified free of the disease by global animal health authorities.
He emphasised that effective control of CBPP would require strong collaboration between federal and state governments, the private sector, and international partners.
Maiha stressed that government efforts alone would not be sufficient, calling for collective commitment across the livestock value chain to tackle the disease and safeguard the nation’s cattle population.
He noted that sustained progress in combating CBPP would contribute significantly to improving food security and boosting economic growth in the agricultural sector.
