NIGERIA – The Lagos State government has unveiled the Butchers’ Academy and Last Mile Meat Shops.

These initiatives are part of the state’s strategic agricultural roadmap aimed at ensuring that red meat sold in Lagos is handled professionally and hygienically.

The Butchers’ Academy is focusing on revolutionizing the beef industry by providing comprehensive education for butchers on standard operational protocols and modern butchery techniques.

This initiative also aims to create job opportunities for the youth, thereby enhancing the overall professionalism in the industry.

Abisola Olusanya, the Lagos State Commissioner of Agriculture, recently inaugurated these initiatives in Alausa.

She emphasizes that the goal is to boost public confidence in the quality of meat consumed by Lagosians.

By maintaining high presentation standards, the initiative is expected to attract more young people into the meat business, countering the stereotype that butchery is a profession for the unenlightened.

Each Last Mile Meat Shop will be operated by four youths who are responsible for slaughtering one cow at government-approved abattoirs.

The meat will then be inspected by the Ministry of Agriculture to ensure it meets hygienic standards.

Olusanya also calls for private sector collaboration to expand the current pilot scheme from 20-foot to 40-foot containers, enhancing the capacity of the initiative.

The overhaul of the transportation sector has led to the introduction of the Eko Meat Van, which replaces previous unwholesome meat transportation practices with more sanitary methods.

In 2024, Nigeria’s meat market revenue is amounting to approximately US$40.74B, with an expected annual growth rate of 13.43% from 2024 to 2028.

Comparatively, China generates the highest revenue globally, estimated at US$273B in 2024.

On a per capita basis, revenue from meat sales in Nigeria is projected to be US$177.80 in 2024, with market volume expected to reach 4,789 million kilograms by 2028.

The meat market volume per person in the country is anticipated to be 17.9 kilograms in 2024, with a projected growth of 6.0% in 2025.

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