5 Interesting Facts About Poultry Farming in Nigeria

This article is about the facts of poultry farming in Nigeria, if you are interested in a detailed guide on how to start poultry farming in Nigeria, you should check out Poultry Farming in Nigeria: How to Get Started.

Poultry farming in Nigeria – The definition of Poultry Farming is pretty straightforward; it is the rearing of domestic birds (primarily chickens, turkeys, ducks, geese), etc., for meat, eggs, or both, depending on the type of poultry farming you are interested in.

In Nigeria, most poultry farmers focus on rearing Chickens and Turkeys, with chicken being the most preferred. About 85 million (42%) of Nigeria’s population, 4 in every 10 Nigerian, are into poultry production, primarily small scale to medium scale poultry farming. There’s hardly any part of the country where you wouldn’t see these two-legged creatures roaming around the neighbourhood or being reared.

If you are an intending poultry farmer, a poultry enthusiast, currently into poultry farming or you are interested in farming in Nigeria generally, here are some facts you should know about poultry farming in Nigeria:

Facts About Poultry Farming in Nigeria

Nigeria has the 2nd Largest Population of Chickens in Africa. 

A report released in 2020 on poultry production in Nigeria showed that Nigeria has the 2nd largest chicken population of about 180 million annually in Africa. Compared to Nigeria’s population in 2020, chickens are currently approximately 26,000,000 shy of the country’s total population, which is estimated to be 206,139,587 according to the statistics published by the World Bank.

Broilers make up 70% of the chicken population in Nigeria, while layers account for 30%.

Local Production Only Meets 30% of Chicken Eggs and Meat Demand.

Despite the expansion of the poultry industry in recent years, poultry farming in Nigeria only caters to 30% of chicken eggs and meat needs of Nigerians, which amounts to up to 300 Mt of meat and 650 Mt of eggs per year. This means there is a huge opportunity in the poultry market for intending poultry farmers in Nigeria, whether on a small, medium, or large scale.

An estimated poultry meat of 1.2 million is smuggled into the country from the Benin Republic alone.

Nigeria is the Largest Producer of Chicken Eggs in Africa

About 21 billion eggs are produced in Nigeria annually through poultry farming, making it the largest producer of chicken eggs in Africa. However, compared to other countries, Nigeria’s chicken egg consumption is 60 eggs per annum per capita, compared to 250 eggs per annum per capita in advanced countries.

There is a viable market in the chicken eggs industry.

The Poultry Farming Sector Contributes 6-8% of GDP of the Country.

Poultry farming has a significant impact on the country’s domestic revenue, contributing about 6-8% of Nigeria’s GDP annually. Farming in Nigeria accounts for over 20% of Nigeria’s GDP; poultry farming alone contributes to about 30% of Agriculture’s GDP.

Nigeria is the fourth-largest producer of poultry meat in Africa.

The Poultry Farming sub-sector is the Most Commercialized of the Agricultural Sector.

According to a report shared by the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Godwin Emefiele in 2019, the poultry farming industry in Nigeria is worth about N1.6trn, making it the most commercialized sub-sector of all Nigeria’s agricultural sub-sector. The Apex Bank Governor also stated that there is a massive potential for the poultry farming industry in Nigeria. He attributed the demand for poultry products to the country’s population growth.

If you want to learn about how to start a poultry farm in Nigeria. Read this blog post for a detailed step by step guide on how to gets started.