Ahmadu Bello University, ABU, Zaria, has declared a state of emergency on the National Animal Production Research Institute, NAPRI, marking a major step toward revitalising one of Nigeria’s leading livestock research institutions.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the university’s Director of Public Affairs, Malam Auwalu Umar, said the move was part of efforts to reposition NAPRI for greater efficiency in livestock research, breeding, and resource mobilisation.
According to Umar, a special committee — the NAPRI Reform and Strategic Transformation Committee — has been inaugurated under the chairmanship of Professor J. K. P. Kwaga of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine to lead the overhaul process.
Vice-Chancellor of ABU, Professor Adamu Ahmed, described NAPRI as “too strategic to fail,” noting that the institute has struggled in recent years to meet its founding objectives due to operational and structural challenges.
He said the declaration of emergency was necessary to address the decline in NAPRI’s statutory performance and reposition it as a national hub for livestock innovation.
“This committee’s work is vital to restoring the institute’s capacity to deliver on its core mandate,” Ahmed stated.
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The committee has been tasked with developing a reform framework and implementation strategy within two weeks, and to deliver full transformation results within six months.
Ahmed assured members of the university’s full support and pledged resources to ensure the success of the process.
Professor Kwaga, in his response, thanked the vice-chancellor for the confidence placed in the committee and pledged to deliver sustainable reforms.
He emphasised that the team’s mission was not only to restructure NAPRI administratively but also to reinvigorate its scientific output and research infrastructure.
The 10-member committee includes experienced academics and former leaders of key agricultural research institutions such as the Institute for Agricultural Research and the National Agricultural Extension Research and Liaison Services.
Among them are Professors I. U. Abubakar, M. K. Othman, Tunji Iyiola-Tunji, A. K. B. Sackey, and Abdul Bakura. Professor Junaidu Kabir, former Dean of Veterinary Medicine, will serve as Secretary.
Established to advance Nigeria’s livestock productivity and animal science innovation, NAPRI has long been a cornerstone of the nation’s agricultural research network. However, years of underfunding and administrative setbacks have eroded its capacity.
The ABU-led reform initiative aims to restore NAPRI’s leadership role in the agricultural sector and ensure it contributes meaningfully to national food security and rural development.
NAN
