Business

FG Moves to Sheild Pig Industry from Deadly Swine Fever

Published

2 months ago

July 1, 2026

192 Views

The Federal Government has intensified efforts to protect Nigeria’s pig industry from the growing threat of African Swine Fever, a highly contagious livestock disease.

The Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, says the government is strengthening biosecurity measures, disease surveillance, and stakeholder collaboration to prevent the spread of the disease and safeguard livestock production nationwide.

Speaking during a technical presentation on the status of African Swine Fever in Nigeria, the Minister commended the Chief Veterinary Officer of the Federation, Dr. Yakubu Yanet Ago, for sharing lessons from a recent study visit to Denmark.

He said that the experiences gained from the visit would help Nigeria develop practical solutions to livestock health challenges and improve preparedness against disease outbreaks.

Maiha highlighted Denmark’s pig traceability and compensation system, where every pig is tracked from birth and farmers contribute to a dedicated fund that provides compensation during disease outbreaks.

According to him, such a model encourages early disease reporting, strengthens transparency, and could be adapted to support Nigeria’s livestock sector.

The Minister also pointed to Denmark’s strict biosecurity measures, including mandatory disinfection of vehicles transporting pigs and controls to prevent contact with wild animals.

He stressed that biosecurity should be viewed as an investment rather than a burden, noting that strict movement controls and farm access restrictions have proven effective in containing disease outbreaks.

To strengthen disease prevention, the Minister directed relevant departments to map livestock movement routes, identify major pig markets and commercial farms, improve animal traceability systems, and deepen collaboration with pig farmers, state governments, and development partners.

He also called for stronger surveillance systems, improved laboratory capacity, and greater investment in veterinary research.

In his remarks, the Chief Veterinary Officer of the Federation, Dr. Yakubu Yanet Ago, described African Swine Fever as a devastating viral disease with mortality rates of up to one hundred percent and revealed that outbreaks have been recorded in about twelve states.

He revealed that the Federal Government’s response focuses on improved surveillance, farmer education, and stronger biosecurity, while urging greater cooperation among all tiers of government, increased funding, and alignment with international disease control strategies to achieve long-term eradication of the disease.

Related Topics:Deadly Swine Fever Featured FG Pig Industry

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Business

Meta set to charge WhatsApp Business messages from October 1

For example, a Nigerian fintech company sending 500,000 chargeable utility messages could incur about $5,050 in fees from Meta alone, excluding charges that may come from third-party providers or software platforms used to manage the messaging service.

Published

16 hours ago

August 28, 2026

OCHEFA

19 Views

Businesses using Meta’s WhatsApp Business Platform will begin paying for certain messages sent to customers from October 1, 2026, under a new pricing structure announced by the company.

The change applies to organisations that use the WhatsApp Business Platform, formerly known as the WhatsApp Business API, to manage customer communication on a large scale.

Regular WhatsApp users and small businesses using the standard WhatsApp Business app are not the main targets of the new charges.

Under the revised system, the amount businesses pay will depend on the type of message being sent.

Utility messages, including payment alerts, order confirmations and other service-related updates, will cost about $0.0101 per message, while marketing messages will attract a higher fee of approximately $0.062 each.

Although the individual charges appear relatively small, companies that send large volumes of messages could see their communication expenses rise significantly.

Business

Dangote Refinery Suspends Petrol Sales To Lagos Depots

Dangote Refinery is prioritising markets where imported products are either unavailable or less dominant, rather than adding more supply to Lagos, which receives substantial volumes of imported petrol.

Published

24 hours ago

August 28, 2026

OCHEFA

17 Views

Dangote Petroleum Refinery has suspended coastal sales of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) to depot owners and importers in Lagos.

People familiar with the refinery’s operations said that the move is deliberate, aimed at redirecting locally refined petrol to areas where imported supply is scarce.

The suspension is ongoing. A source said: “The suspension of coastal sales to Lagos is still ongoing. It is aimed at redirecting products to locations where imported products are unavailable. Lagos has quite some imported petrol.”

The strategy is intended to ensure locally refined petrol reaches areas where it is most needed.

The decision comes amid concerns at the refinery over the volume of imported petrol entering Nigeria.

According to data available to the refinery, imported PMS accounted for about 43 per cent of total petrol supplied into Nigeria in July

Business

Naira Exchange Rates Friday, August 28

Today, the Naira Black Market exchange rate for 1 Great British Pound (GBP) is 1900 Naira. This means that you can get 1900 Naira for every 1 Pound that you exchange.

How much is 100 pounds in naira today?
At the current black market rate of 1900 per pound, 100 British Pounds = 190,000 Naira.