By Cross Udo, Abuja
The National Economic Council (NEC) failed to discuss the issue of the State Police for the umpteenth time yesterday despite the worsening security situation in the country.
The Council, chaired by Vice-President Kashim Shettima, comprises State Governors, the FCT Minister, the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, and the Attorney-General of the Federation, among others
Recall that gunmen suspected to be Fulani herders have, in recent times, attacked and killed over 200 people in Plateau, Borno, Benue, Zamfara and Kwara States, sacked villages and rendered many homeless.
In its previous sittings, NEC had assured of a final resolution of the matter when it reconvened.
The Kaduna State Governor, Senator Uba Sani, categorically stated that all 36 states were favourably disposed to establishing State Police, assuring that when the Council reconvened, it would pronounce and rest the matter.
However, responding to a question on whether the issue of the State Police was discussed at the meeting, the Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, said it was part of the agenda, but it was deferred due to lengthy presentations on some other national issues.
Diri, however, assured that the matter would be deliberated exhaustively in the next Council sitting to put it to rest
He said, “State Police was part of our agenda today (Thursday), but unfortunately, because of time demands, you know, we have been there for a very long time now, the presentations, we were unable to get to that bit of it (State Police). So, I can assure you that in our next meeting, that issue will be exhaustively discussed.”
Nonetheless, the meeting observed a one-minute silence for over one hundred victims of the various terrorist attacks by the marauding gunmen in the affected states.
*Advocates modern ranching as panacea for farmers-herders conflict
Diri also disclosed that NEC received a briefing from the Ministry of Livestock Development on the National Livestock Transformation Plan (NLTP).
He said it was on the issue of ranching and that the presentation was a follow-up to previous deliberations.
The Council reiterated its position that cattle ranching by herders in the country remains one of the top solutions to the frequent bloody clashes between farmers and pastoralists.
He said, “What the Ministry equally presented today is a follow-up to the NLTP. The Ministry is looking at modernising that sector, but more importantly, emphasis is placed on cattle ranching and peacebuilding. And we believe in the Council that the Ministry’s presentation on cattle ranching is a modern solution to the issues of farmers/ herders clashes.”
The Governor also explained that, with an accelerated livestock growth strategy, the sector is being primed to create more jobs for Nigerians and is expected to yield revenues of between $74bn and $90bn in the next few years.
Also, during the briefing, the Governor of Ekiti State disclosed that as of April 2025, the National Reserve Development Account stood at N72, 858,962.939 billion, the Stabilisation account was N63, 535,835,786.60 billion, and the balance in the Excess Crude Account, ECA, stood at $473, 754.57.
Other governors at the press briefing were Biodun Oyebanjo of Ekiti, Hope Uzodimma of Imo, and Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State.
*Approves new Textile Dev Board, $90bn agribusiness, livestock development plan
Meanwhile, NEC has approved the establishment of a Cotton, Textile, and Garment Development Board and new strategies for agribusiness expansion and livestock transformation, which is projected to generate up to $90 billion in economic value by 2035.
The approval aimed to reposition Nigeria’s economy and tackle insecurity at its roots.
Other initiatives approved by the Council included the establishment of the Green Imperative Project, GIP, a national office in Abuja, and regional offices across the six geopolitical zones. The Council also addressed the crises fuelled by the country’s current system of animal husbandry.
The NEC, chaired by Vice President Kashim Shettima and consisting of the Governors of the 36 states of the federation, the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the Minister of Finance, and other co-opted government officials, approved the proposal for the establishment of the Cotton, Textile, and Garment Development Board.
As Nigeria’s regulatory body for the cotton, textile, and garment sector, the Board will have governors representing the six geopolitical zones, as well as members from the Ministries of Agriculture and Food Security, Budget and Economic Planning, and Industry, Trade, and Investment.
When established, the Board will be domiciled in the Presidency, private sector-driven, with representation of the relevant public sector stakeholders, and funded from the Textile Import Levy collected by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS).
NEC also approved the establishment of the Green Imperative Project (GIP) national office in Abuja and regional offices across the six geopolitical zones, as well as the request for support for the formal launch of the National Agribusiness Policy Mechanism.
Addressing issues of empowerment and food security, Vice President Shettima implored members of the Council to be courageous in making decisions, saying they must “resist the temptation of grand rhetoric and embrace the hard work of reform.
“The nation is watching. Our citizens are not waiting for another speech. They are waiting for the results. This Council must remain a meeting point for ideas that move the nation forward.
“Let us rise above partisan interests and regional divisions and focus on what truly matters—building a nation that delivers for all,” he stated.
Shettima reminded members that they were not at the council meeting as a mere routine but by “the resolve to confront the pressing realities that define the lives” of the Nigerian people.
He urged them not to respond to crises but to work as architects of a sustainable future for the nation.
He stated, “Governance, in truth, is not the theatre of promises. It is the solemn business of fulfilment. Today, as always, we are not here to admire the beauty of policy design but to ensure the substance of its execution.
“The task before us is monumental, but it is not unfamiliar. At our last meeting, we launched bold initiatives and reawakened our sense of duty to the nation.
“Today, we return with even greater clarity about what lies ahead. We must always remember that we are not merely responders to crises. We are architects of a sustainable future.”
On the establishment of a Cotton, Textile and Garment Development Board, the Vice President said it aligns with the economic revival agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, recalling that the initiative “is a call to resuscitate a sector that once clothed the people and powered the nation’s economy.
Nigeria is a nation where cotton can thrive in 34 states. Yet our production level remains a fraction of our potential. We currently produce only 13,000 metric tons while we continue to import textiles worth hundreds of millions of dollars. This is not just an economic imbalance. It is an invitation to act,” he added.
According to him, the Cotton, Textile, and Garment Development Board will be funded by the textile import levy and will have a presence in all geopolitical zones in the country.
“Our goal is not just regulation. It is a revival. He explained that this is our opportunity to re-industrialise, empower communities, and restore pride in local production,” he explained.
On strengthening the nation’s food security, the Vice President said that although it is a vital follow-up to the Nutrition 774 Initiative, it is also about building an inclusive, efficient, and sustainable national food economy.
“We are building a national food economy that is inclusive, efficient and sustainable,” he noted.
Shettima maintained that NEC deliberations must inspire action, deepen unity, and uplift the lives of the citizens. To actualise this, he pushed for the consideration of a “field visit by the NEC Implementation Monitoring Committee.”
“This is a critical step in bridging the gap between policy and performance. Our people do not evaluate us by the elegance of our policies but by the evidence of their impact,” he added.
The Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, made a presentation on skill development in the country, which will equip five million youth with income-generating, industry and entrepreneurial skills by 2030
The Minister informed the Council that the National Council on Skills, at its last meeting, chaired by the Vice President, had resolved to strengthen and streamline skills development efforts across the country through the Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET) initiative.
The Council was informed that the TVET system will comprehensively transform skilled education to deliver quality and consistency across all levels.
Through a standardised framework that ensures all training programs are properly accredited and certified in a seamless and orderly manner, supported by modernised colleges, an industry-relevant curriculum, sustainable funding and a strong governance structure.
The Council was informed that the coordinated and integrated initiative will involve partnerships with all MDAs, subnational governments, and the private sector.
Council lauded the federal government’s commitment to TVET by integrating skills development into national education policies and budgetary allocations.
Council approved key recommendations in the presentation and urged State governors to take advantage of emerging opportunities under the new initiative to train and mentor youths in digital education and skill acquisition to add value to their lives.
Considering the programme’s benefits for job creation and youth empowerment, States were advised to fully participate in it irrespective of political affiliations.
On the Livestock Growth Acceleration Strategy by the Ministry of Livestock Development, the Minister said the purpose of the presentation is to present the strategy of the newly created Federal Ministry of Livestock Development (FMLD) to the National Economic Council.
The strategy is inherited and built on the National Livestock Transformation Plan, NLTP (2018 – 2028), which focused on modernising Nigeria’s livestock sector, emphasising cattle ranching and peacebuilding.
The strategy is also built on the National Livestock Growth Acceleration Strategy (NL-GAS), refined and extended to transform the sector into an intentional job, wealth, exports, and tax / IGR engine.
The presentation projected that the strategy will build a $74bn—$90bn sector by 2035 in direct partnership between States, the private sector, and foreign investors under a sound federal regulatory umbrella.
Five key pillars will be prioritised for investment in the programme between 2025 and 2026. These critical focus areas include Animal Health and Zoonoses Control, Feed and Fodder Development, and Water Resources Management.
Others are on Statistics & Information Systems and Breed Improvement initiatives as essential components of comprehensive Livestock Value Chain Development across the country.
The Council considered several prayers related to livestock development initiatives in Nigeria. The first set of requests included formally endorsing FMLD’s inheritance of NLTP, its strategic priorities and associated implementing assets; transferring to FMLD the prior committed N100bn in resources approved by NEC to support industry modernisation; creating counterpart State Ministries of Livestock Development as appropriate; and gaining access to the pool of technical support and expertise available at the Federal Ministry, particularly for animal health support and disease eradication.
Additionally, the Council reviewed proposals to collaborate in delivering public goods investments critical to transforming Nigeria into a red meat exporter with access to key Middle East and Asian markets. This included partnering with FMLD to attract private investors to the States and strengthening existing ones to build an IGR source, national job growth, and export engine.
The final considerations focused on collaboration with the NL-GAS Office to domesticate the new strategy and tap into the growing pool of investor engagement. There was also discussion about partnering with sub-nationals to identify key areas of investment priority and position themselves on the value chain accordingly via State Investment Companies to generate IGR and jobs.
The Council deliberated and endorsed key recommendations of the presentation, especially the focus on addressing the crises fuelled by the country’s current system of animal husbandry.
It also urged the active participation of sub-nationals and the private sector in operationalising the priorities of the Ministry’s presentation on modern livestock production.
