ABUJA: The Federal Government has commenced infrastructural development at the 9,000-hectare Kawu Grazing Reserve in Bwari Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory FCT, as part of its plan to relocate herders from the Abuja city center.
The initiative, backed by the Presidency, is being implemented through the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development under the leadership of Minister Idi Maiha. At the weekend, the Minister flagged off the first phase of development by launching a solar-powered borehole at the reserve.
According to Maiha, the reserve currently hosts over 10,000 herders and their families, alongside an estimated 30,000 cattle. He said government is determined to transform the area into a model livestock hub through the construction of key infrastructure including a 15-kilometer access road, schools, healthcare facilities, veterinary clinic, irrigation systems, markets, security outposts, and renewable energy projects.
“This grazing reserve is going to come alive,” Maiha said. “We are providing boreholes, upgrading the dam for irrigation, cultivating pasture, and bringing in solar power, schools, and healthcare. This is no longer campaign rhetoric—it is the Renewed Hope Agenda in action.”
He explained that the project will be executed in partnership with several ministries, agencies, and development partners, including the Federal Capital Territory Administration, the Rural Electrification Agency, Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Ministry of Health, Ministry of Water Resources, as well as the World Bank-supported Livestock Productivity and Resilience Project (L-PRES).
Dr. Sanusi Abubakar, Director of L-PRES, confirmed that the development aligns with Nigeria’s livestock master plan, which prioritizes provision of pasture, water, and basic amenities to reduce farmer-herder conflicts.
Senior Special Adviser to the President on Livestock Development, Idris Abiola-Ajimobi, disclosed that N13 billion was earmarked for livestock development in the 2024 budget, with additional funding secured from international partners. He noted that the Kawu project is a pilot that will be replicated across 417 designated grazing reserves nationwide.
Meanwhile, the National President of the Kulen Allah Cattle Rearers Association of Nigeria (KACRAN), Khalil Mohammed Bello, commended the government’s intervention and announced that herders are ready to relocate.
“We are extremely happy to be part of this laudable project. We accept it in totality and are ready to move into the Kawu grazing reserve,” Bello said.
The Federal Government believes the initiative will not only reduce cattle encroachment into the city center but also boost food security, create jobs, and turn the grazing reserve into an economic hub for livestock production and processing.
