Open grazing has inflicted incalculable damage on Nigeria’s security, economy, and national reputation. It remains a leading cause of the persistent killings and kidnappings plaguing the country.
Yet, the Federal Government’s recent decision to pursue “a gradual, structured transition from open grazing to modern ranching systems” risks perpetuating this vicious cycle of violence and insecurity.
This approach runs contrary to the 1999 Constitution’s mandate that the government’s primary purpose is to ensure security and welfare. President Bola Tinubu must no longer delay the urgent implementation of ranching.
The Ministry of Livestock Development’s Head of Press and Public Relations, Oghenekevwe Uchechukwu, clarified that the government has not banned open grazing nationwide, citing Minister Idi Maiha’s statement that Nigeria now has 273 gazetted grazing reserves covering over 4.5 million hectares.
Grazing reserves are illogical in contemporary society, a permanent source of conflict exploited by Fulani herdsmen for bloodletting.
Unwisely, the Federal Government is engaging with states to revitalise these reserves and make them suitable for pastoralists and livestock operators. However, this focus on supporting pastoralists rings hollow when weighed against the heavy toll on Nigerian lives, property, and well-being.
Contrary to Maiha’s claims, open grazing is an outdated and dangerous practice. Ranching is entirely feasible with political will and a proper understanding and application of the cattle value chain.
The security and economic data favour ranching overwhelmingly. Tinubu must find the same courage required to end fuel subsidy to end open grazing.
The Netherlands, with just 3.7 million cattle, six times fewer than Nigeria, produces 14.7 billion litres of milk, while Nigeria struggles to produce 527 million litres.
Nigeria imports milk products worth about $560 million annually, whereas the Dutch dairy industry generates approximately $10 billion annually. This stark contrast highlights Nigeria’s enormous lost potential.
In Uruguay, ranching is a tech-driven, efficient operation featuring computerised cattle traceability. Uruguay’s beef and livestock exports contribute 25 per cent to national export income.
Argentina, Brazil, New Zealand, the US, and Australia also practice ranching as a serious business venture, enjoying the peace and prosperity that comes with it.
Despite on-the-ground carnage linked to open grazing, the Federal Government has failed to expedite ranching initiatives. Programmes such as the Rural Grazing Area, the National Grazing Reserve Bill (2016), and the Livestock Intervention Programme have failed to stem escalating insecurity.
This year, just 11 out of 36 states have embraced ranching, even as herder-related violence skyrockets in the North-Central region.
The International Crisis Group reports that conflicts between herders and farmers have become Nigeria’s deadliest security challenge, exceeding Boko Haram’s insurgency in 2018 by sixfold.
A 2020 compilation of Fulani militia attacks documented 654 incidents killing 2,539 people and kidnapping 253 between 2017 and mid-2020.
Human Rights Watch attributes over 7,000 deaths and the displacement of 220,000 people in Plateau State alone to this conflict since 2001. Benue State faced 119 Fulani herdsmen attacks and more than 500 deaths in 2023.
Consequently, Nigeria ranks sixth on the 2025 Global Terrorism Index, up from eighth in previous years. Many terror attacks trace their roots to herder violence, aided by cross-border alliances with groups in Sahel countries that exploit the open grazing system to infiltrate Nigeria unchecked. A definitive ban on open grazing would significantly mitigate this security threat.
Vice-President Kashim Shettima reports that insurgencies, largely fuelled by herder attacks, have claimed over 100,000 lives and displaced more than two million Nigerians.
The government’s failure to regard ranching as a serious business opportunity fuels policies that allocate land exclusively to cattle farmers and perpetuate the myth that livestock farming belongs to specific ethnic groups.
In reality, any interested farmer can engage profitably in ranching, provided the value chain is fully exploited. Indeed, the Europeans and Americans have succeeded far better in cattle and livestock farming using modern techniques to create a global industry worth $1.39 trillion as of the end of this year.
Ranching is essential for peace and economic growth. Open grazing, by contrast, is synonymous with conflict and insecurity.
Nigeria must prioritise the transition to ranching without delay. The stakes in human lives, national stability, and economic development could not be higher.
