The governments of Kano and Jigawa states in Nigeria have pledged to sustain the N2.36 billion in economic gains recorded by rural households through the six-year Advancing Local Dairy Development in Nigeria (ALDDN) programme.
The commitment was announced at the Kano-Jigawa state-level close-out event for the programme, which ran from 2020 to July 2026. Funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the initiative was implemented by Sahel Consulting Agriculture and Nutrition Limited in partnership with private-sector dairy processors and government agencies.
The programme enrolled 17,903 farmers and integrated 8,944 households into a structured dairy value chain across Kano and Jigawa states.
Milk Sales Generate N2.36 Billion
Fatima Aminu, Head of Plant at L&Z, who represented the company’s Chief Executive Officer, said processors collected approximately 2.6 million litres of milk from participating farmers during the programme.
The milk generated N2.36 billion in direct value for rural households, with farmers receiving an average price of N400 per litre.
| Indicator | Programme Result |
|---|---|
| Programme duration | 2020–July 2026 |
| Farmers enrolled in Kano and Jigawa | 17,903 |
| Households integrated | 8,944 |
| Milk collected | 2.6 million litres |
| Direct value generated | N2.36 billion |
| Average milk price | N400/litre |
| Self-help groups supported | 722 |
| Cooperatives supported | 57 |
| Fodder land cultivated | 933.9 hectares |
| New bank accounts opened | 2,873 |
The programme also supported 722 self-help groups and 57 cooperatives, while 933.9 hectares of land were cultivated for fodder production. In addition, 2,873 new bank accounts were opened for beneficiaries, helping improve access to formal financial services.
Interventions such as artificial insemination and veterinary services were also introduced to improve livestock productivity and help pastoralist households develop more consistent and bankable incomes.
Aminu urged state governments to support a commercially driven, processor-led dairy model after the programme’s closure. She said a sustainable system would require reliable milk off-take by processors, timely payments to farmers and continued support beyond donor-funded interventions.
Jigawa Plans to Maintain Programme Gains
Representing the Jigawa State Commissioner for Livestock Development, Dr Abdullahi Muhammad said the state government would work to ensure that the gains made through ALDDN were not lost.
According to Muhammad, Jigawa plans to sustain milk collection centres and dairy cooperatives while integrating ALDDN training modules into the state’s livestock extension system.
The state also intends to expand community animal health services and continue supporting women involved in dairy production.
Muhammad said the programme had contributed to improvements in animal nutrition, veterinary care, hygienic milk handling and farmers’ access to formal markets.
One of the reported productivity improvements was an increase in daily milk production among many beneficiary households. Milk yields rose from less than two litres to between five and seven litres per cow per day in many participating households.
Kano Signals Continued Support
Kano State also pledged continued support for programmes designed to strengthen the local dairy sector.
Kano State Commissioner for Livestock Development Aliyu Isa Aliyu, represented by Permanent Secretary Rabi Waya, reaffirmed the state’s commitment to initiatives that improve dairy production and strengthen the value chain.
The commitments from both states are intended to help ensure that infrastructure, farmer organisations, skills and market connections developed through ALDDN remain operational after the programme’s formal closure.
ALDDN’s Wider Impact
Sahel Consulting Managing Partner Temitope Adegoroye said the programme had enrolled more than 63,000 smallholder dairy farmers across seven Nigerian states and facilitated the supply of approximately 15 million litres of fresh milk to processor partners.
She said trained extension agents, artificial insemination technicians, community livestock workers and cooperatives would play important roles in sustaining the programme’s impact.
The transition from donor-supported interventions to commercially driven dairy systems will therefore be important for maintaining milk markets and farmer incomes.
The experience from Kano and Jigawa highlights the potential role of structured dairy value chains in connecting smallholder farmers with processors, improving productivity and creating more reliable income opportunities. Continued government and private-sector participation will determine how effectively these gains are maintained following the end of the six-year ALDDN programme.