The European Union (EU) has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting local dairy farmers in Nigeria by addressing critical challenges such as water scarcity, limited access to quality feed, and the high cost of vaccines and medicines—factors that directly affect both the quality and quantity of milk production.
The EU, through its delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, noted that improving dairy farming is essential not just for food security but also for raising farmer incomes and creating new job opportunities across rural communities.
During a recent visit to Naturell Dairy, a Kaduna-based member of EuroCham Nigeria, the EU team observed firsthand the successes and ongoing challenges facing the dairy industry in Nigeria.
The visit served as part of the EU’s broader initiative to roll out new agricultural support programmes focused on boosting incomes, MSME development, and enhancing the entire dairy value chain—from milk production to storage and distribution.
Inga Stefanowicz, Team Leader for Green and Digital Economy at the EU Delegation, explained that the EU aims to support improvements in critical areas including production inputs, storage facilities, and logistics, with the goal of enhancing milk quality and productivity.
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“We are a donor organisation, funding many initiatives in Nigeria.
“Agriculture has huge potential for economic growth and job creation, but also faces significant challenges.
“That’s why we are committed to supporting dairy farmers—from those rearing milk cows to others in the value chain—to increase income, create opportunities, and improve public health,” she said.
She emphasized that increasing milk supply to processors like Naturell Dairy would not only strengthen local dairy production but also expand access to nutritious products, promote enterprise growth, and open new income streams for rural dwellers.
Christian Idakwoji, Sales Manager at Naturell Dairy, highlighted the company’s approach of sourcing milk directly from local farmers, while offering them training and livelihood support.
He pointed out key challenges such as milk spoilage due to limited cold storage and transportation infrastructure.
“We collect milk organically from farmers’ cows, ensuring they have a sustainable source of income.
“However, without proper cold chain facilities like cooling vans, we risk losing large volumes of milk,” he said.
He added that the company has established roadside cooling points and started training farmers in milk handling, but more support is needed for logistics and aggregator training to further reduce losses and improve efficiency.
Local dairy farmer Abubakar Muhammed shared his concerns, citing lack of clean water, expensive medications, and poor feed quality as major obstacles.
“We fetch water from streams that are not safe. We urgently need clean water, affordable vaccines, and nutritious feed to keep our cows healthy and productive,” he said.
Stephen Joshua, an aggregator working with Naturell Dairy, welcomed the EU’s intervention and emphasized its potential impact.
“Most farmers here own about 40 cows, but the average yield is just 2 litres per cow daily due to poor feed. With EU support, we expect a sharp rise in productivity and reduced milk spoilage,” he said.
As the EU steps in with renewed focus on agriculture, the Nigerian dairy industry looks set for a transformational boost, with improved farmer welfare, better infrastructure, and a stronger, more sustainable value chain.
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