By FELICIA IMOHIMI

The Federal Government has tasked the Technical Working Group on Contagious Bovine Pleuro-Pneumonia (CBPP) to intensify nationwide vaccination efforts aimed at achieving total eradication of the disease across Nigeria.

CBPP is a bacterial disease of cattle that causes severe pneumonia, is often fatal, and leads to significant livestock production losses in affected regions globally.

Its outbreaks result in considerable economic losses, threaten food security and safe trade, and present major challenges to cattle production in endemic countries across Africa.

The Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Maiha, made the call during the inauguration of the Technical Working Group on CBPP on Friday in Abuja.

He decried that CBPP remained endemic in Nigeria and continued to challenge the country’s aspirations for a productive, resilient and globally competitive livestock sector.

Maiha said with an estimated population of more than 50 million herds of cattle, Nigeria held one of the largest herds of cattle on the African continent.

“This places a significant responsibility on us to ensure that animal health risks are effectively managed.

“The epidemiological situation in 2025 clearly underscores the urgency of this task. At least some states have reported outbreaks of CBPP, with the disease now cutting across all geopolitical zones.

“A total of 131 outbreaks have been officially documented outside those that were reported,” he said.

Maiha reaffirmed the collective resolve of stakeholders to confront CBPP, describing it as one of the most persistent and economically damaging diseases affecting the national economy.

The minister described the committee as a focused, high-level technical platform that would provide strategic direction for changing the trajectory of CBPP control in Nigeria.

“We make measurable progress in protecting our national herds, advancing the broader goals of national food security and economic development.

“The body is expected to guide development of a coherent national control framework, strengthen surveillance architecture, and improve effectiveness of vaccination programmes nationwide.”

He said the group would also support modernisation of emergency response systems to ensure rapid containment of outbreaks in affected areas.

Maiha, who identified the group as the country’s World Council on CBPP, added that members would develop a comprehensive national response strategy for sustainable disease control.

“There is need to enhance engagement with livestock owners and other stakeholders, whose cooperation is essential for any control measure to succeed.

“Beyond looking at internal step projects, you must also look at thorough country case study review. Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Namibia are World Organisation for Animal Health certified CBPP-free.

“We must find out strategies or measures they adopted and learn lessons from those African countries and countries across the globes that have been able to control CBPP.

“We need to recognise that sustainable progress will depend on stronger coordination across Federal and State structures, collaboration with the private sector, and deeper engagement with international partners.

“Government action alone will not be sufficient. The scale and complexity of CBPP require a shared commitment from all actors within the livestock sector,” he said. (NAN)