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ABUJA, Nigeria - The Ministry of Livestock Development has announced its intention to empower 1,000 youths with various skills relevant to the livestock sector in each state of the nation.
During the conclusion of a four-day Hack4Livestock Hackathon held in Abuja, Minister Idi Maiha shared this initiative.
The event was organized by the National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics in collaboration with the Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, as well as the Ministry of Livestock Development.
Maiha, represented by his special assistant Eustace Iyayi, emphasized the program's goal to utilize digital platforms to foster growth and development in the livestock sector, while also aiming to engage women and enhance diversity.
He highlighted the significance of digital skills in promoting advancements within the sector.
The ministry has developed a Nigerian Livestock Growth Acceleration Strategy to facilitate this growth. "Currently, our plan is to train 1,000 youths in each state on various aspects of the livestock sector.
We recognize the potential of this digital project to assist in achieving this goal. We exist in a world where everything is accessible,"
Maiha stated. He also noted the importance of involving women in livestock initiatives and expressed confidence that such projects would be beneficial.
The executive secretary of the National Board for Technical Education (MBTE), Idris Bugaje,remarked that each project demonstrated the transformative power of technology in addressing real-world issues in the livestock sector and beyond.
Represented by Aliyu Imafidor, the general manager of the MBTE Centre of Excellence for TVET, Bugaje pointed out that Artificial Intelligence is a key driver of digital change, significantly reshaping sectors like education, agriculture, and healthcare.
He praised participants for their innovation, dedication, and problem-solving approach throughout the event, stating, "Your achievements reflect your resilience, creativity, and commitment to excellence. May your path inspire others to innovate for national development."
Gbenga Sesan, representing the Agro Alliance, which won the Hack4Livestock 2025 edition, discussed the group's solution designed to ease farmer-herder conflicts in Nigeria.
He asserted that this solution could alleviate economic losses, fatalities, and displacement.
Sesan described Agro Alliance's system as a real-time, IoT-based technology for detecting cattle intrusions, activating deterrents, and alerting farmers via SMS, notifications, and calls to bolster farm security and diminish conflicts.
He explained that the AI-powered system identifies cattle incursions and promptly notifies farmers through the Internet of Things (IoT). "This technology allows for remote monitoring, providing live feeds and images of ongoing farm events.
The system also triggers a loud alarm to deter cattle before they can enter the farm," he added.
He mentioned that their team intends to enter the market and partner with security agencies to address conflicts between farmers and herders, stating, "We are open to collaboration and partnerships for further development of their solution."
The top three winners of the Hack4Livestock Hackathon were awarded a total of ₦10 million, with Livestocx in third place receiving ₦2 million, JVincent in second place getting ₦3 million, and Agro Alliance taking first place with ₦5 million.
Representatives from the Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, the National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (NCAIR), and the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) were present at the event.
