• Nigeria signs $496 million dairy investment deal with Asset Green

• Project includes 20,000-hectare complex, 10,000 cows, processing facilities

• Initiative aims to boost local output, reduce imports, support food security

On Wednesday, the Nigerian Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) said it had signed a memorandum of understanding with British private equity firm Asset Green Ltd for a major dairy project.

In a post on X, the state institution said the project would involve $496 million in investment. The plan includes the development of an agro-industrial complex spanning 20,000 hectares of forage crops and a modern farm with capacity for 10,000 dairy cows. It also includes the construction of a processing unit with an annual capacity of 200,000 metric tons to produce fresh milk, butter, cream and powdered milk.

“This US$500 million greenfield investment in Nigeria’s dairy industry allows for the development of advanced and necessary infrastructure spanning the full production and supply system to enhance local production, reduce the reliance on the huge imports of dairy goods into Nigeria, deliver environmental services and strengthen national food sovereignty and nutritional resilience,” Asset Green Ltd Director Rod Bassett said, in remarks reported by local outlet The Nation.

The project’s location and timeline have not been disclosed. If completed, the investment would support the government’s growth targets for the sector. On June 1, 2025, Abuja committed to doubling annual milk output to 1.4 million metric tons by 2030, with private sector backing.

Policy support expands

To support this goal, the government has announced a range of initiatives, including the development of a sector roadmap, the expansion of the National Livestock Growth Acceleration Scheme (NL-GAS), and projects aimed at improving animal health.

Since early 2026, Nigeria has also stepped up cooperation with foreign partners to expand dairy production capacity through knowledge transfer in genetic improvement, better production practices and the adoption of new technologies.

The ministry in charge of livestock development said on March 13 it had begun discussions with U.S. non-governmental organization Heifer International to deepen technical cooperation and establish sustainable and productive livestock models, including in dairy farming.

Earlier, on Feb. 22, the ministry announced Nigeria’s participation in the “Tripartite Initiative for Climate-Smart Cattle Systems,” a partnership with Brazil and the United Kingdom aimed at improving livestock productivity through new technologies.

On Feb. 3, Gombe State signed a memorandum of understanding with Livestock Improvement Corporation (LIC), a New Zealand firm specializing in agricultural innovation and livestock genetics, as part of efforts to strengthen research and introduce high-yield New Zealand dairy and beef genetics.

Nigeria’s annual dairy consumption is estimated at nearly 2 million metric tons, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.

Stéphanas Assocle