The federal government has announced plans to strengthen oversight of poultry import allocations and enforce stricter performance measures across the industry as part of efforts to eliminate supply bottlenecks, improve access to day-old chicks, and support the growth of Nigeria’s poultry sector.
The move follows growing concerns over the underutilisation of approved import quotas by operators, a development that has contributed to shortages of day-old chicks, increased production costs, and limited opportunities for thousands of poultry farmers nationwide.
Speaking during a meeting on Wednesday with the Managing Director of Valentine Chickens, Leon Gunter, and the company’s National Operations Manager, Samuel Adediji, the Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, said government interventions in the poultry sector must deliver measurable outcomes for farmers and consumers alike.
“We want a very firm commitment from industry operators. This is about national security, job creation and livelihoods. Government support must translate into increased production, improved availability and better access for farmers across the country,” the minister said.
He said industry assessments indicate that a significant proportion of approved poultry allocations have not been fully utilised, creating supply constraints that have contributed to recurring increases in the cost of day-old chicks.
“The objective of government is clear: to ensure that opportunities created through public policy translate into increased production, lower barriers to entry for farmers, greater affordability, and sustainable growth across the poultry sector.
“There is no reason why opportunities created through government support should not translate into increased production. Once approvals are granted, we expect implementation. Going forward, allocations will be closely monitored and linked to performance,” he added.
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As part of efforts to expand domestic production capacity, Mr Chickens presented a proposal for a $5.6 million investment in local grandparent stock production infrastructure designed to reduce dependence on imported parent stock and strengthen Nigeria’s poultry value chain.
The project is partnered with Aviagen, the world leader in poultry genetics, and the proposal includes the establishment of specialised breeding facilities and advanced biosecurity systems capable of significantly increasing local poultry production and supporting the long-term development of the sector.
“This is not simply the importation of day-old chicks; it is the importation of genetic capacity that can multiply into millions of locally produced birds and strengthen the country’s poultry industry for the long term,” Gunter explained.
At full capacity, an annual import of 116,800 grandparent breeding chicks will yield 2 million parent stock females, translating into 273 million commercial broiler chickens and 378,000 tons of chicken meat per annum, calculated at a 72 per cent carcass yield.
The ministry is establishing a centralised, national database to track every imported grandparent stock (GPS) and parent stock (PS) egg and chick. This regulatory shift is deliberately designed to break down entry barriers for smallholder farmers, boost Nigeria’s historically low poultry per capita consumption, and ensure that local supply directly meets the needs of ordinary citizens.
Henrietta Okokon
Deputy Director, Information and Public Relations
11th June, 2026
