During an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Baba Ngelzarma, the National President of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), highlighted that Nigeria is expending approximately $1.7 billion each year on importing milk. Ngelzarma urged the Federal Government to allocate more resources to the dairy industry in the national budget, emphasizing that a focused approach to livestock could significantly contribute to the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP). He stressed the importance of proper harnessing of the livestock sector for economic growth.
According to him,
"The livestock sector has not and never received the needed attention from the government; the only support we have gotten is vaccination of cow.
"The aspect of livestock production, marketing, transportation, processing among others is left in the hands of the pastoralists; the entire value chain of cattle is not harnessed by the government.
"Nigeria has the largest population of livestock compared with neighbouring countries, yet we produce lesser milk due to neglect of the sector."