Nestlé Nigeria Plc has deepened its push into Nigeria’s dairy value chain, signing a landmark agreement with the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development to establish a Dairy Technical Skills Development Centre in Paikon Kore, Gwagwalada, in a move aimed at transforming local milk production and strengthening rural livelihoods.

The partnership, formalised through a Memorandum of Understanding, marks a significant step in efforts to close Nigeria’s dairy production gap by building technical capacity, improving milk quality, and driving productivity across the value chain.

The proposed centre, to be sited within Nestlé’s Dairy Demonstration Farm, represents the next phase of the company’s Livestock Development Project, evolving from pilot interventions into a structured, scalable national model. The initiative follows earlier milestones, including the farm’s launch in 2025 and a Letter of Intent signed on World Milk Day the same year.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Nestlé Nigeria’s Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Wassim Elhusseini, said the collaboration underscores the company’s long-term commitment to building a resilient local dairy ecosystem.

“When capability improves, outcomes follow,” he said. “This partnership allows us to expand a structured approach to skills development that will enhance productivity, improve quality, and support sustainability across the sector.”

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Under the agreement, the centre will deliver targeted training programmes focused on modernising on-farm practices, strengthening milk handling and processing standards, and equipping stakeholders with industry-relevant technical skills. It will also seek to improve coordination across dairy clusters to raise overall value chain efficiency.

Since its launch in 2019, Nestlé’s Livestock Development Project has made measurable impact, establishing 83 dairy cooperatives, supporting over 3,000 milk producers, and aggregating more than one million litres of raw milk. The initiative has also trained over 2,000 pastoralists, vaccinated more than 36,000 cattle, and introduced key infrastructure to boost productivity.

The Honourable Minister of Livestock Development, Mukhtar Idi Maiha, described the partnership as a critical intervention for unlocking the sector’s vast potential.

“Nigeria’s dairy sector holds significant promise, but achieving scale requires stronger technical capability,” he said. “This collaboration demonstrates what is possible when the right systems and partnerships are in place.”

Maiha added that the initiative aligns with the National Dairy Policy under the National Development Plan, which seeks to enhance food security, stimulate economic growth, and position Nigeria’s livestock sector for global competitiveness.

With the agreement now in place, both parties are set to begin implementation, including finalising training frameworks, preparing the facility, and rolling out programmes in phases.

Industry observers say the initiative could mark a turning point for Nigeria’s dairy sector, where low productivity and quality challenges have long constrained growth. By focusing on mid-level technical skills and scaling proven interventions, the centre is expected to drive sustainable improvements, strengthen local supply chains, and create new economic opportunities across rural communities.

As Nigeria intensifies efforts to reduce dependence on dairy imports, the Nestlé-government collaboration signals a shift toward long-term, skills-driven solutions designed to build a more resilient and competitive industry.

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