Nigeria has been identified as a key player in Africa’s efforts to eliminate Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR), a viral disease that affects sheep and goats and causes major economic losses for livestock farmers.
The African Union Inter-African Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR) says Nigeria’s livestock sector is strategically important because the country is home to an estimated 200 million sheep and goats, the largest small-ruminant population on the continent. Its extensive livestock trade networks also connect it closely with neighbouring countries.
According to AU-IBAR, successfully eradicating PPR in Nigeria would significantly strengthen regional animal health security, improve food production, protect rural livelihoods and support economic growth across West Africa and beyond.
The organisation believes that a PPR-free Nigeria will be a major step toward achieving a PPR-free Africa by 2040, helping millions of farmers and pastoral communities build more resilient and productive livelihoods.
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