No matter how you look at it, animal husbandry is what will provide economic growth across northern Nigeria and end the current unemployment-fuelled insecurity

Ayo Akinfe

[1] For starters, we should aim to become the world’s number one producer of the following animal products by 2030:

[i] Cattle

[ii] Snails

[iii] Pigs

[iv] Poultry

[v] Mackerel

[vi] Goats

[vii] Turkeys

[viii] Ducks

[ix] Grass cutters

[x] Impala

[2] I for one would ringfence this sector and give it a minimum target of generating $20bn in foreign exchange earnings by 2030

[3] I would then appoint a minister of state for livestock farming whose job it will be to liaise with state governors over the provision of land for all these sectors

[4] If we are serious about ending this crazy oil dependency, this is the kind of radical action we need to take

[5] As a people, we need to set ourselves impossible targets and then make sure we achieve those targets, whatever it takes

[6] I would like to see the Northern States Governor’s Forum (NSGF) for instance set annual job creation targets for its members

[7] Does any state government in Nigeria actually have revenue generation targets?

[8] I would like the NSGF for instance to please come out and tell us how many jobs a comprehensive animal husbandry plan would create across northern Nigeria

[9] I believe six mega ranches in Niger, Borno, Zamfara, Taraba, Bauchi and Kaduna states alone would create up to 10,000 jobs

[10] Just imagine the number of unemployed youths we would take out of crime if we had a thriving leather industry processing animal hides and skins. Our fundamental problem is intellectual laziness!

ayoakinfe@gmail.com