FIPAN: One Million Metric Tons of Smuggled Chicken Enter Nigeria Annually

•Huge protein deficiency in Nigeria worry stakeholders

Oluchi Chibuzor

The Feed Practitioners Association of Nigeria (FIPAN) has revealed that about one metric tonnes of smuggled chicken enter into the Nigerian market annually through illegal channels.

According to the association, this undermines local production and creates unfair competition for the country’s hardworking poultry farmers.

Speaking shortly after his inauguration in Lagos, as the new President of FIPAN, Dr. Ayoola Oduntan, said the amount of smuggled chicken into the country’s market annually through illegal channels was about one million metric tonnes.

According to him, “One area of concern is the increasing rate of poultry meat being smuggled into the country. Despite our efforts, poultry remains the most imported and illegally smuggled meat in Nigeria, with an estimated one million metric tons entering the market annually through illegal channels.

“This undermines local production and creates unfair competition for our hardworking poultry farmers. Even with this massive volume of smuggled poultry meat, our per capita consumption in Nigeria stands at only 2.2kg, a stark contrast to 39kg per capita in South Africa. This disparity should be a call to action for all of us.”

Reflecting on the pivotal role their industry plays in sustaining Nigeria’s agricultural backbone by ensuring the nutrition and well-being of millions of Nigerians, Oduntan acknowledged, “that the last three years have presented us with significant challenges.

“Rising prices of raw materials, skyrocketing inflation, and escalating lending rates have made it increasingly difficult for many in our sector to maintain profitability, let alone thrive. Animal protein-once an affordable staple-has become, for many, a luxury.

“From January 2021 till date, the price of maize and soybean have increased by about 292 percent and 269 percent respectively. While the overall price of premium feed has jumped by about 343 percent, the price of chicken and egg have marginally increased by about 199 percent and 310 percent respectively,” he said.

Citing the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations, he said, in Nigeria, agricultural statistics paint a picture of immense potential.

The new FIPAN President noted that this indicates a strong focus on the poultry sector, which has served the country well over the years, but stressed that as the nation looks to the future, diversification is key.

According to him, “We produce 21 million cattle, 249 million chickens, 88 million goats, 50 million sheep, and 9.5 million swine annually. These animals, in turn, provide us with 329,000 metric tons of beef, 278,000 metric tons of chevon, 363,000 metric tons of pork, 148,000 metric tons of mutton, and 355,000 metric tons of chicken.

“While these figures highlight the vast scope of our livestock industry, they also bring into sharp focus the challenges we face in meeting the protein needs of our growing population because this is not enough.

“The animal feed sector in Nigeria, valued at approximately $3.5 billion, has an essential role in addressing these issues.

“Currently, commercial feed production in Nigeria is around 5.7 million metric tons annually. Of this, approximately 80 percent is dedicated to poultry feed, while about 12 percent goes toward aquaculture.”

Outlining his leadership commitment, Oduntan, said they were committed to expanding beyond traditional focus on poultry feed to include more substantial support for the ruminants and swine sectors.

“Ruminants such as cattle, goats, and sheep represent a significant portion of our livestock population, yet the availability of quality feed for these animals remains insufficient. Similarly, the swine sector, though smaller in scale, has immense growth potential, especially in meeting both local and export demand.

“In closing, it is clear that the future of our industry lies in us stabilising and reducing the price of feed, thus the price of food, while government and the economy align to strengthen the purchasing power of an increasing proportion of the population. This should be our destination,” he stated.

Earlier, the out-going President of FIPAN, Isiadinso Raymond, charged the new executives to work with the government for enabling policies for the industry.

However, for stakeholders, like the CEO of Catalyst Gold Agro Allied Industries, Dr. Tola Johnson, protein deficiency in Nigeria was worrisome.

“Nigeria has a huge protein deficiency. The data is so bad that 2.5 kilograms per person per year is what our data is concerning chicken and 65 eggs per person per annum. That’s our consumption rate”, she said.