Kano’s Lucrative Milk Business: Shocking Challenges Revealed

Milk production is one of the most lucrative businesses in Kano, contributing significantly to the livelihoods of hundreds of Fulani women and forming the backbone of the dairy industry.

From supplying fresh milk to individuals and groups to meeting the demands of major dairy firms, this sector plays a vital role in the economy. However, behind its apparent profitability lies a web of challenges that threaten its sustainability and growth.

Fulani women, who are the primary suppliers of fresh milk, face a daunting struggle to transport their goods to market daily. Hauwa’u Abubakar, a milk vendor from Bunkure, spends N1,000 on transport to bring her milk to Kano and sells three to five buckets per trip, each at N6,500. For her and many others, the added cost of transport eats into their profits, making the venture less rewarding.

In a bid to tackle these issues, the Kano State Agro-pastoral Development Project (KSADP) has stepped in with an ambitious $8.03 million project to establish 100 milk collection centres across the state. These centres aim to reduce losses, maintain milk quality, and ensure hygienic practices.

Equipped with solar power, cooling tanks, sanitary wares, and milk testing kits, these centres are a game-changer for the industry. However, only 40 of the planned 100 centres have been completed, leaving many pastoralists, like those in Dansoshiya, to continue transporting milk over long distances to sell in Kano.

Additionally, the scarcity of milk in Kano has led to reliance on supplies from other states like Jos and Bauchi, increasing costs and reducing profitability. The issue is compounded by the dominance of large dairy firms, which operate their collection centres and source directly from producers, leaving small-scale vendors struggling to compete.

Dr. Garba Saleh, a livestock specialist with KSADP, revealed that Nigeria currently lacks the capacity to meet its local demand for milk. Local cattle breeds yield only 3–5 litres of milk daily compared to foreign breeds that produce up to 50 litres. The KSADP is addressing this challenge through artificial insemination programs and the development of improved grazing fields on 3,000 hectares of land to provide nutritious fodder for livestock.

Despite these efforts, the dairy business in Kano faces infrastructural challenges. The chairman of the Cow Milk Marketers Association highlighted the lack of a reliable power supply to operate the donated cold storage facility. The association has resorted to hiring a generator from a third party, with members paying N200 per bucket of milk stored.

Processed milk, if not properly preserved, poses significant health risks. Seventy percent of human diseases are linked to animals, making hygiene in milk processing critical. This risk underscores the importance of the KSADP’s interventions, which seek to enhance market access, improve milk quality, and boost the income of pastoralists and milk vendors.

Despite the hurdles, the prospects of the dairy business in Kano are bright. Experts believe that with adequate support, Nigeria could replicate the success of countries like Kenya, Uganda, and Rwanda, which have developed robust dairy industries capable of supplying the global market.

To achieve this, Kano’s dairy industry needs more investment in infrastructure, capacity-building programs for small-scale producers, and the development of more efficient breeds. The recently established Ministry of Livestock Development also holds the potential to drive significant improvements by prioritizing the sector’s needs.

While milk production in Kano is undeniably lucrative, the challenges faced by stakeholders—from herders and vendors to dairy firms—highlight the need for strategic interventions to transform this vital industry into a sustainable and profitable venture for all involved.