According to single-source reporting by Daily Trust, members of the Nigerian Veterinary Medical Association (NVMA) are convening in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, for their annual conference, marking an opportunity to reflect on more than 100 years of veterinary practice in the country. From its initial formal establishment under colonial rule to present-day efforts managing over 900 million animals, the profession has played a key role in national development, food security, and public health.
Historical Foundations and Pre-Colonial Roots
Organized livestock administration in Nigeria predates colonial governance. In Northern Nigeria, management was historically overseen by the Sarkin Shanu (Chief of Cattle), who supervised grazing areas (hurumi), stock routes (burtali), markets (kara), slaughter facilities (kwata), and seasonal movements. Revenue from the Jangali cattle tax supported livestock administration until its federal abolition in 1975.
Formal modern veterinary administration began in 1913 with the creation of the Veterinary Department in Zaria, tasked with livestock census, surveillance, and disease control. Following the 1914 amalgamation of Northern and Southern Nigeria, F. R. Brandt was appointed as the nation’s first Chief Veterinary Officer. In 1924, research and laboratory operations were relocated to Vom on the Jos Plateau, ultimately evolving into the National Veterinary Research Institute (NVRI).
Institutional Milestones and Education
To train field personnel, the Veterinary School in Vom was established in 1941. A major milestone in indigenous leadership occurred in 1954 when Dr. Bukar Shu’aib graduated from the University of Liverpool, becoming the first Nigerian to hold a university degree in veterinary medicine. University-level veterinary education within Nigeria began in 1963 with the establishment of the first Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Ibadan, followed by Ahmadu Bello University in 1964.
Regulatory frameworks also developed during this period, beginning with the Veterinary Surgeons Ordinance of 1952, which laid the foundation for the Veterinary Council of Nigeria (VCN). Today, the VCN operates its headquarters in Maitama, Abuja.
Major Disease Control Successes
Veterinary professionals in Nigeria have recorded landmark public health achievements over the past century:
Rinderpest Eradication: Following decades of intensive vaccination and containment efforts against cattle plague, Nigeria was declared free of rinderpest in 2005. This contributed to global eradication in 2011, making rinderpest the first animal disease—and second disease overall after smallpox—to be completely eradicated globally.
Avian Influenza Control: Following Africa’s first confirmed outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (H5N1) in Nigeria in 2006, veterinary authorities implemented surveillance, culling, biosecurity, and compensation programs, leading to a self-declared freedom from notifiable avian influenza by 2013.
Current Scope and Future Outlook
According to reporting by Daily Trust, Nigeria’s veterinary workforce currently includes more than 13,000 veterinarians and approximately 50,000 veterinary paraprofessionals across 17 university faculties, research institutes, government agencies, and private practices. This workforce services a domestic livestock population exceeding 900 million animals, including cattle, sheep, goats, and poultry.
Despite these achievements, the profession faces modern hurdles such as limited service access for rural pastoralists, emerging transboundary diseases, climate change, and antimicrobial resistance. Meeting future demands will require expanded public-private collaboration, enhanced laboratory infrastructure, and the adoption of geospatial tools, artificial intelligence, and digital surveillance systems.