As part of renewed efforts to transform Nigeria’s livestock industry and restore key grazing reserves, the Federal Government has unveiled plans to rehabilitate dilapidated infrastructure at the Wawa-Zange Grazing Reserve in Gombe State.
The Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Maiha disclosed this during an inspection tour of the reserve on Friday, June 13, 2025. He reiterated the government’s determination to revitalise grazing reserves nationwide, turning them into sustainable hubs for modern livestock production and rural development.
Maiha explained that the Wawa-Zange upgrade would focus on providing critical infrastructure such as an accessible road network, a primary health care centre, a fully equipped veterinary clinic, standard classrooms, solar energy installations and a reliable water supply for both human and animal needs.
Highlighting the importance of Wawa-Zange, the minister noted that the reserve covers approximately 144,000 hectares and is home to over 5,000 herders and their families, who engage in farming and livestock rearing activities. “These hardworking Nigerians deserve the same amenities available in any modern settlement. Our goal is to build an environment where herders can thrive without being forced to migrate seasonally,” he said.
He revealed that the revitalised reserve would house breed improvement centres, pasture farms, and support services aimed at discouraging nomadic herding. “We want Wawa-Zange to serve as a benchmark for sustainability, productivity, and peaceful coexistence,” Maiha emphasised.
Addressing lingering conflicts between farmers and herders, the Minister stressed that the government would not adopt a forceful eviction approach. Instead, he proposed a cooperative land-use system where encroaching farmers and resident herders mutually benefit. Farmers will supply leftover crop residues as feed for livestock, while herders will provide organic manure to enrich the farmers’ soil, creating a win-win scenario that boosts productivity and fosters harmony.
The minister also paid a courtesy visit to the Gombe State governor, His Excellency Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya to discuss collaborative measures to ensure the project’s success.
In his remarks, the Gombe State Commissioner for Agriculture and Animal Husbandry, Dr. Barnabas Malle acknowledged the challenges herders face, especially inadequate shelter and perennial water scarcity. He assured that once these basic facilities are restored, the herding community is ready and willing to settle permanently, ending seasonal movements that often lead to conflicts.
The Wawa-Zange visit aligns with the Federal Government’s wider National Livestock Growth Acceleration Strategy (NL-GAS), which targets the rehabilitation of 417 grazing reserves across the country.
In May 2025, the minister flagged off the Wase Livestock Village in Plateau State, a model settlement that is already demonstrating the benefits of integrated livestock farming.
A statement issued by the ministry’s director of information and public relations, Ben Bem Goong noted that revitalising reserves like Wawa-Zange will create employment across livestock value chains, boost food security, curb greenhouse gas emissions from migratory herding, and advance Nigeria’s economic diversification goals under the ‘Renewed Hope’ agenda of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
