Rethinking animal welfare: Building practical reform in Nigeria

Animal advocacy is not a borrowed idea. It is a necessary conversation rooted in our culture, our farms, our markets and our communities. Yet the nature of that advocacy must reflect the structure of livestock production within each society.

In many developed countries, livestock production is largely industrialised, where animals are raised in concentrated commercial operations, processed within structured supply chains and regulated under clearly defined frameworks. Where welfare concerns arise, they are often linked to confinement systems, transport conditions, and slaughter practices within identifiable industries. Advocacy in such settings can focus on corporate responsibility, supply chain reform and enforcement of standards across a limited number of large operators.

Nigeria presents a different landscape.

Across many of our communities, livestock production remains predominantly extensive and household-based. Cattle, sheep, goats and poultry are often managed within family compounds or grazed under open systems. Smallholder and backyard production systems account for the majority of livestock ownership. Current estimates suggest that extensive systems represent approximately 70 to 85 per cent of livestock production nationwide, while intensive and semi-intensive systems collectively account for roughly 15 to 30 percent. This distribution is far from a minor detail. It shapes where welfare challenges occur and how reform must be designed.

Cruelty in developing contexts is not always the result of deliberate abuse. In many cases, it arises from poverty, limited access to veterinary care, inadequate housing, poor nutrition and low awareness of animal needs. I have personally encountered ruminants whose rumens were filled with plastic waste collected from refuse dumps. Hunger forced them to consume materials that gradually destroyed their digestive function. These cases are not driven by malice; they are driven by systemic neglect, weak waste management systems and insufficient knowledge of proper animal husbandry.

Enforcement alone cannot resolve such problems. Inspecting individual households across rural and semi-urban communities is neither practical nor sustainable. Some livestock keepers lack formal education on animal physiology and welfare. Others lack the financial capacity to improve housing, provide balanced feed, or access timely veterinary services. In many cases, families themselves struggle with basic welfare.

This reality demands a different advocacy model.

Animal welfare in Nigeria must be integrated with farmer education, community extension services, improved waste management, and economic support. Advocacy must speak not only of rights but also of productivity, public health and livelihoods. Animals that are properly fed, housed and managed are healthier. Healthier animals produce more meat, milk and eggs. They are less prone to disease outbreaks that threaten both farmers and consumers. Also, animal products from healthier animals are more nutritious. Welfare, therefore, is not an imported luxury. It is an economic and public health necessity.

At the same time, Nigeria is witnessing gradual intensification of livestock production. Expanding farms such as Chi Farms Nigeria Limited, AgriVest Farms, and Steed Global Farms are scaling up intensive poultry, cattle, small ruminant and pig production through integrated commercial models. Beyond domestic expansion, investment movements are also visible. International players such as JBS S.A., agribusiness interests like ABIS Group and policy-driven initiatives linked to the National Council on Livestock Development reflect growing capital inflows and structured efforts to expand industrial livestock production and processing capacity in Nigeria.

With this transition come welfare concerns similar to those seen in industrialised systems. Overcrowding, stress, transport injuries and poor slaughter practices are becoming visible in some sectors. Advocacy must, therefore, be forward-looking. It must address both dispersed smallholder systems and emerging commercial operations.

One major gap remains.

Nigeria does not yet have a comprehensive and modern animal welfare law that clearly defines standards of care, transport, housing, handling and slaughter across species. While certain provisions exist within older legislation related to disease control and public health, they do not adequately address welfare as a distinct and enforceable principle.

A dedicated Animal Welfare Act would serve several purposes. First, it would establish minimum standards for the treatment of animals across production systems, markets and slaughter facilities. Second, it would provide a legal framework for enforcement agencies and veterinary authorities. Third, it would strengthen Nigeria’s position in international trade, where welfare standards increasingly influence market access. Finally, it would signal that the nation recognizes the ethical and economic value of humane animal management.

However, legislation must be realistic. It must consider the socio-economic realities of smallholder farmers. A welfare law that ignores poverty and structural challenges will remain on paper. A practical law should be accompanied by phased implementation, farmer education programmes, veterinary extension support and incentives that encourage compliance rather than punish hardship.

Research plays a central role in this process. Advocacy that is not grounded in local data risks copying foreign models that do not fit our context. Nigerian universities, veterinary faculties, research institutes and professional associations must generate evidence on housing systems, transport losses, disease patterns, behavioural indicators of stress and the economic returns of improved welfare practices. Reliable data strengthens policy arguments, guides realistic standards, and protects reform from being dismissed as emotional activism.

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