Nigeria’s poultry industry contributes more than a quarter of the nation’s agricultural GDP and provides livelihoods for over 25 million Nigerians, according to the Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN).
Speaking in Abuja during the commemoration of World Egg Day, celebrated globally on the second Friday of October, PAN Board Member Bello Ibrahim said the sector remains a major driver of Nigeria’s food economy and employment growth.
He revealed that Nigeria now stands as the largest egg producer in Africa, generating an estimated 650 million tonnes of eggs annually. Despite this progress, he warned that rising costs of feed, day-old chicks, and limited access to credit threaten the sustainability of smallholder farmers who make up more than 60 percent of the industry.
“Although the government has intervened to reduce maize prices, the effect has yet to reach small farmers,” Ibrahim noted. “For them to produce their own feed, they must have at least 8,000 layers, which is not feasible for many poultry owners in the FCT and other parts of the country.”
He added that large-scale producers continue to dominate the market due to cheaper access to feed inputs, leaving smaller operators at a disadvantage. “If feed prices reflect current market realities, production costs would drop and egg prices could become more affordable for consumers,” he said.
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Ibrahim also emphasized the nutritional and economic importance of eggs, describing them as one of the most accessible sources of protein for Nigerian families. “With the current economy, eggs remain the cheapest source of high-quality protein. At N150 to N200, anyone can afford one,” he explained.
Former PAN chairman in Abuja, Chima Wilson, echoed these sentiments, calling eggs a “powerhouse of nutrition” packed with protein, vitamins A, E, and B-complex essential for human health.
Wilson urged federal and state governments to support the poultry industry through credit facilities, tax incentives, and subsidized inputs to boost production and ensure food security.
World Egg Day, established by the International Egg Commission, celebrates the global significance of eggs as an affordable, nutritious, and sustainable food source that supports millions of livelihoods worldwide.
