The National Vice President, Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN), South-East Region, Mr Izuolisa Onu, has described the poultry industry as one of the fastest pathways to food security, job creation and wealth generation.
Onu said this on Wednesday during the opening ceremony of the two-day Eastern International Poultry Summit (EIPS) 2026 in Enugu.
The summit, themed, “From the Farm to Market: Scaling Nigeria’s Poultry Trade and Investment,” is the biggest poultry exhibition in the South-East, according to Onu.
“Farm to market is a call to action; it is about closing the loop.
“This is a value chain that employs hundreds of thousands of Nigerians and ensure food security, growing our Agro-GDP astronomically,” Onu said.
He, however, expressed concern over challenges facing the industry, including the high cost of feeds and day-old chicks, weak cold-chain logistics and limited access to finance.
Onu, who is also the Chairman of the Local Organising Committee, said the summit would bring together poultry farmers, experts and exhibitors from across the South-East and beyond.
Dr Benjamin Kuja, Zonal Coordinator, Federal Ministry of Livestock Development, Enugu, described the summit as timely and important.
Kuja said the creation of a dedicated Ministry of Livestock Development demonstrated President Bola Tinubu’s administration’s commitment to harnessing the potential of the livestock sector.
According to him, the livestock sector is another oil for Nigeria and will unfold in the fullness of time.
Also speaking, Dr Jonathan Ossai, who represented the Enugu State Commissioner for Agriculture and Agro-Industrialisation, Mr Patrick Ubru, said the state had accorded priority to livestock development.
He said Gov. Peter Mbah was committed to partnering with PAN to promote the growth and development of poultry and other livestock businesses in the state.
Dr Cliff Ogbede, Executive Director, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Rural Development, South-East Development Commission, said agro-industrialisation of the region was part of the commission’s mandate.
Ogbede said the commission would partner with PAN to create jobs and expand the poultry sector across the region.
The opening ceremony featured exhibitions by various poultry companies participating in the summit.
