Poultry farmers in Nigeria have raised concerns over the proposed $900 million poultry investment deal between the Federal Government and China, cautioning that poor execution could harm the local industry.
The Poultry Association of Nigeria made this disclosure in an interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria on Thursday in Lagos, with key stakeholders voicing reservations about the planned partnership.
The pushback comes as reports indicate that the Federal Government intends to invest $900 million with China in a large-scale poultry project, designed to produce up to six million eggs daily to help reduce Nigeria’s protein deficit and enhance food security.
The association emphasized that although investment in the poultry sector is important, priority should be given to building local capacity instead of introducing large-scale, foreign-backed competition.
Lagos PAN Vice President and Chairman of Aiyedoto Poultry Farmers Settlement, Foluso Adams, cautioned that the deal could undermine domestic producers and urged the government to focus on empowering local farmers to scale up production and compete across the region.
“It will be better for the government to develop local poultry production to enable farmers to stay employed.
“Empowering our local poultry industry will give us the export opportunity for other neighbouring West African countries or even Africa at large to depend on our production,” he said.
Also, PAN National Publicity Secretary, Godwin Egbebe warned that the partnership could lead to unintended consequences for the poultry industry and consumers alike.
“The proposed $900 million poultry sector investment partnership by the Federal Government and China is going to impact negatively on the local poultry industry.
“Before the government goes into this poultry partnership with China, they should also consider the health and safety of Nigerians,” Egbebe said.
He noted that the sector’s main challenge is low consumer purchasing power, not production capacity.
Nigeria’s poultry industry has struggled in recent years due to rising feed costs, inflation, and falling consumer demand.
It was earlier reported that poultry farmers lost over N3 trillion in 2023 due to worsening economic conditions.
The Poultry Association of Nigeria revealed that more than 50 per cent of its farms shut down during the year, highlighting the severity of the crisis.
With egg prices averaging N250 to N300 per unit, many households struggle to afford them, further reducing demand despite adequate supply.
