The Federal Government has refuted media reports claiming that open grazing has been banned across Nigeria.
Speaking on Tuesday, 25th November 2025, the Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, stated that no nationwide ban on open grazing has been declared. Instead, the government is pursuing a gradual and carefully planned shift from open grazing to modern ranching practices.
The Minister revealed that Nigeria has 273 legally gazetted grazing reserves spanning more than 4.5 million hectares. The Federal Government is collaborating with state governments to rehabilitate and upgrade these reserves, making them functional and attractive for pastoralists and other livestock stakeholders.
He emphasised that the policy is not an abrupt end to open grazing but the creation of sustainable alternatives that will boost productivity, minimise farmer-herder clashes, and build a modern livestock sector.
In his words: “Pastoralists, like all other economic actors, need a proper business environment. The gazetted grazing reserves are legally designated as the business premises for livestock activities. Our job is to modernise these reserves and ensure they are fully utilised.”.click on the Read Original at the top to read Full news if you’re reading from Phoenix
The Ministry called on the public to ignore false reports and depend only on official channels for accurate updates on livestock development policies.
𝗙𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁𝘀𝗔𝗽𝗽 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗹 𝗧𝗼 𝗚𝗲𝘁 𝗟𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗡𝗲𝘄𝘀 𝗔𝘀 𝗜𝘁'𝘀 𝗗𝗿𝗼𝗽!
