Small-holder poultry farmers in Nigeria's North-East have appealed to governments at all levels to intervene urgently in the sector. They cited rising production costs and declining profit margins as major challenges threatening the collapse of their businesses. Farmers operating in Borno, Yobe, and Adamawa states highlighted the increasing prices of poultry feed, day-old chicks, vaccines, and veterinary medicines as major concerns.
The cost of poultry feed has skyrocketed, making it difficult for small-scale producers to sustain their businesses. According to Godwin Dedan, a poultry farmer and dealer in feeds and veterinary medicines, the rising cost of poultry feed is one of the sector's biggest challenges. He urged authorities to support local production of key ingredients such as maize and soybean.
Farmers are seeking government intervention to reduce the cost of essential production inputs. Dedan called for subsidies for poultry feed ingredients, investment in affordable feed-milling facilities, and incentives for local producers. He also advocated for low-interest loans and grants to enable small-holder farmers to purchase day-old chicks, feeds, vaccines, and other essential materials.
In Adamawa State, Malam Haruna Ismail, a poultry farmer, described the increase in production costs as alarming. He noted that the price of day-old chicks had risen from between N980 and N1,050 in 2025 to approximately N2,270. The cost of a bag of poultry feed had also increased from between N16,000 and N18,000 to between N21,600 and N23,000.
Poultry production is becoming increasingly unsustainable for farmers struggling to balance production expenses with what consumers can afford. Mrs. Peace Samuel, a poultry farmer in Yola-North, explained that after spending six to seven weeks feeding broiler chickens, farmers need to sell at higher prices to recover their investments. However, the purchasing power of consumers remains a major obstacle.
Disease outbreaks are an additional threat to poultry production. Samuel identified disease outbreaks, including coccidiosis, Newcastle disease, and Gumboro, as major challenges. She warned that delays in treating infections could lead to significant bird mortality and financial losses for farmers already struggling with high operating costs.
Farmers in Borno, Yobe, and Adamawa states are calling for urgent government intervention to address the challenges threatening small-scale poultry production. They warned that without affordable feed, accessible financing, and improved support systems, more farmers could abandon the business, worsening unemployment and limiting the supply of affordable protein to Nigerian households.
Key points
- Rising feed costs are threatening the sustainability of small-holder poultry farmers in Nigeria's North-East.
- Government intervention is necessary to reduce production costs and support local poultry farmers.
- Disease outbreaks and high operating costs are additional challenges facing poultry farmers in the region.
