Nigerian Govt Denies Nationwide Open Grazing Ban, Says Transition To Ranching Will Be Gradual

By Onoja Baba, Nigeria 

The Federal Government has dismissed media reports claiming an immediate nationwide ban on open grazing, describing them as misleading and inaccurate.

Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, clarified that no such ban has been declared, stressing that the government is pursuing a well-structured, gradual transition from open grazing to modern ranching systems.

In a statement issued by the ministry’s Head of Press and Public Relations, Oghenekevwe Uchechukwu, the minister explained that Nigeria currently has 273 gazetted grazing reserves covering more than 4.5 million hectares, and the Federal Government is collaborating with state governments to revitalise and equip these reserves to make them fully functional and attractive for pastoralists and other livestock operators.

He emphasised that the transition policy does not abolish open grazing overnight but instead creates viable, sustainable alternatives that will boost productivity, minimise farmer-herder conflicts, and build a modern livestock ecosystem.

The minister noted that pastoralists, like every other economic group, deserve structured business premises, and the legally established grazing reserves are intended to serve exactly that purpose.

The Ministry urged the public to disregard the misleading reports and rely solely on official government channels for accurate information on livestock development policies.