Boko Haram containment revitalises Nigeria’s N1.9trn cattle market

Advancements by the military in the war against terrorism in mostly North east Nigeria, a prominent route of the cattle trade, is gradually restoring confidence in the cattle market as stakeholders express optimism for an improved economy.

Many rural farmers in insurgency prone areas of the north have been displaced over the years, while others by virtue of military operations have been restricted from going to their farms because of checks and curfews imposed by the military and at other time state governments.

The insurgency had created a fertile ground for cattle rustling which had threatened the cattle market in Nigeria, with an estimated 19 million cattle heads valued at over N1.9 trillion.

Cattle theft has long been reported as a problem in the North, however, the general insecurity caused by the Boko Haram sect had emboldened seasoned rustlers and other criminal elements who have taken advantage of the insecurity to cause havoc. It had also been reported that Boko Haram itself engages in cattle rustling, proceeds from which it uses to fund its operations.

“Our security agencies have reasonably established that most of the cattle being traded at the markets were the direct proceeds of cattle rustling perpetrated by Boko Haram insurgents which were sold at prohibitive costs to unsuspecting customers through some unscrupulous middlemen who use underhand ploy to deliberately disguise the transactions as legitimate,” Said Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno State while placing an embargo on indiscriminate sale of meat.

Abdulrahaman Girei, head of the Adamawa Chamber of Commerce and Industry while noting that with gradual defeat of the Boko Haram insurgence, “It is confidence building that is most important now,” also told BusinessDay that the cattle market has been terribly affected especially in Mubi, Maiduguri, Damaturu and other places. He stated that there has been loss of confidence from people coming from Cameroun and other neighbouring countries to trade cattle in Nigeria, observing that with successes being recorded through military operations, “The market is picking up a bit [and] as soon as things calm down properly the market should be back in full swing.”

“Border patrol needs to be properly installed [and invariably] these things are measures of confidence; it is not sufficient to no longer hear about Boko Haram, but people should be confident that their security is guaranteed when they come to trade in Nigeria, without any fears of harassment,” Girei added.

Nigeria mostly imports cattle from other countries for local consumption as locally bred herds are unable to meet consumption needs. 70% of the cattle business in Nigeria relies on herd being brought from; Cameroun, Chad, Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger and even Benin Republic.

This is buttressed by Alimi Bello, President of the Kaduna Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines & Agriculture who lamented that “majority of the cattle we consume come from the neighbouring countries and Maiduguri (which has been largely hit by insurgency) happens to be one of the largest cattle market.”

While there have been improvements due to military advancements against Boko Haram, he however observes that “when you go to cattle market in the north, there are still normal businesses that go on, but not in the far north; Maiduguri and Yobe [for instance]. The cattle market has not actually returned back to its normal self, because even there, the cattle come from neighbouring towns from Chad through Dikowa, through Gamboru Ngala, then to Maiduguri market. But even in Chad itself, the market has not regained its proper footing.”

“With the containment of the insurgency, of course there is hope…Maiduguri presently experiences more activity than in previous months, and it is indicative that life is beginning to return to normal. In few weeks to come, businesses should experience more normalcies,” said Bello.

Akinwumi Adesina, former Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, had projected an increase in beef consumption in the country from 360,000 tonnes to 1.3 million tonnes by 2050.

Meeting the growing consumption needs of millions of Nigerians as insurgency abates has also become pertinent in view of over dependence of cattle supplies from neighbouring countries.

Caleb Ojewale