Nestlé Nigeria Plc has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Livestock Development to establish a Dairy Technical Skills Development Centre in Paikon Kore, Gwagwalada, aimed at boosting productivity, improving milk quality, and strengthening technical capacity in the country’s dairy sector.
The proposed centre, to be sited at the Nestlé Dairy Demonstration Farm, builds on the company’s ongoing Nestlé Livestock Development Project (NLDP).
The initiative marks a transition from pilot interventions to a more structured and scalable approach to skills development across the dairy value chain, following earlier milestones including the farm’s launch in 2025 and a Letter of Intent signed on World Milk Day 2025.
Under the partnership, both parties will deliver structured training programmes targeting improved on-farm practices such as milk production, processing, hygiene, and farm management.
The collaboration also seeks to develop industry-relevant technical skills and enhance coordination across local dairy clusters to improve overall milk quality outcomes.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Nestlé Nigeria, Wassim Elhusseini, said the partnership would expand ongoing efforts to strengthen the country’s dairy value chain.
“At Nestlé, we have been working over the years to strengthen the dairy value chain in Nigeria. What we have seen is clear—when capability improves, outcomes follow.
This partnership allows us to expand the reach of our structured approach to building the skills required to improve productivity, enhance quality, and support long-term sustainability in the sector,” he said.
Elhusseini added that the company’s dairy investments are focused on creating shared value for communities while building a resilient local supply base.
Since its launch in 2019, the Nestlé Livestock Development Project has supported dairy communities across Nigeria, establishing 83 dairy cooperatives and benefiting over 3,000 milk producers.
The initiative has also aggregated more than one million litres of raw milk, trained over 2,000 pastoralists, vaccinated 36,744 cattle, and introduced critical infrastructure to support production.
Minister of Livestock Development, Mukhtar Idi Maiha, described the partnership as a strategic move to unlock the sector’s potential through enhanced technical capacity.
“Nigeria’s dairy sector holds significant potential, but unlocking it requires stronger technical capability across the value chain. This partnership represents a practical step towards improving productivity and quality,” he said.
Maiha noted that the initiative aligns with the National Dairy Policy under the National Development Plan, which aims to drive growth in the livestock sector while improving food security and economic opportunities.
Following the MoU signing, both parties are expected to commence implementation, including finalising training frameworks, preparing the project site, and rolling out the programme in phases in collaboration with relevant stakeholders.
The Dairy Technical Skills Development Centre is expected to provide a structured platform for training mid-level technical skills critical to the long-term sustainability of Nigeria’s dairy industry, while contributing to improved livelihoods, increased local production, and broader national development goals.
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