ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — At a busy intersection just seven miles from the presidential villa, irritated drivers honk their horns as a group of cattle grazes on the grass in the median and slowly crosses the road, their hooves making a rhythmic sound against the asphalt. For the teenage herder, Ismail Abubakar, this is just another ordinary day, and for most drivers caught in the traffic jam, it’s a common sight in Nigeria’s capital, Abuja.

Abubakar’s presence, along with his cattle, in the heart of the city is driven by necessity rather than choice. His family originally hails from Katsina State in northern Nigeria, where climate changes have transformed once-fertile grazing areas into arid deserts. Years ago, he relocated to Idu, a less developed and bushy area of Abuja, which has now become crowded with housing estates, a large railway network, and various industries.

“Our settlement in Idu was destroyed, and the land we used for grazing was cleared to make way for new homes,” Abubakar explained in a mix of Pidgin English. This situation forced his family to find refuge on a hill at the city’s edge and search for pasture in the busy streets.

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The Fulani herders, like Abubakar, are traditionally nomadic and play a significant role in West Africa’s cattle industry. They typically depend on open land for grazing their herds. However, modern pressures such as the increasing need for land for housing and agriculture, along with climate change, are threatening their way of life. Some suggest that herders should start purchasing private land and operate like other businesses to keep their cattle off Abuja’s main roads and green spaces. Yet, to do this, they would require financial support and government incentives.

“It’s disheartening,” remarked Baba Ngelzarma, president of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, an advocacy organization for Fulani pastoralists. “Nigeria is seen as disorganized. The herders take their cattle wherever they can find green grass and water to ensure their survival, regardless of whether it’s in the city or on someone’s property.”

Ngelzarma also pointed out that the government has not effectively harnessed the livestock industry’s potential by providing incentives such as sufficient infrastructure, water sources, veterinary services at designated grazing reserves, and subsidies.

The government has pledged to tackle this issue, previously promising designated areas for cattle herders. President Bola Tinubu announced in July the establishment of a new livestock development ministry, which Ngelzarma believes will help restore the neglected grazing reserves, although no minister has been appointed yet.

Growing Challenges for Herders

Nigeria is home to over 20 million cows, mostly owned by Fulani herders, making it the fourth largest cattle population in Africa. The country’s dairy market is valued at $1.5 billion, yet nearly 90% of local demand is satisfied through imports. This inefficiency, as noted by Ngelzarma, stems from cows that are stressed from constant movement and inadequate diets, which hinders milk production.

The consequences of this situation impact Abuja’s environment and businesses, particularly when traffic jams occur due to cattle crossing busy roads. In addition, herders often clash with farmers over land access, especially in central and southern Nigeria, where the two communities intersect along religious and ethnic lines.

Although there are four designated grazing reserves around Abuja, they suffer from inadequate infrastructure and have been encroached upon by other farmers and illegal settlers, according to Ngelzarma and Festus Adebayo, executive secretary of the Housing Development Advocacy Network.

Due to the dysfunction of these reserves, herders set up temporary settlements wherever they can, remaining there until property owners reclaim the land or construction begins.

Mohammed Abbas, 67, has had to relocate multiple times over the years. Much of his current settlement in the Life Camp area of the city has been taken over by a newly built petrol station, and he knows that the remaining land will soon be claimed by another owner.

As a smallholder pastoralist, he cannot afford to purchase land in Abuja for a permanent settlement and ranching. Selling all his cows would be necessary to afford land, but that would leave him with nothing to put on it, he said in Hausa, sitting outside his hut.

Other pastoralists have chosen to resist relocation. “We are not going anywhere again,” stated Hassan Mohammed, whose family occupies a strip of land on the outskirts of a new estate near the Idu train station. Once a vast area of bush, the land has been consumed by infrastructure and housing projects. To cope with dwindling resources for his cattle, he now also drives a lorry.

Despite repeated demands from the landowners for him to vacate, Mohammed insists that his family will remain, utilizing the shrinking land as their base while taking their cattle elsewhere daily for grazing. The landowners have continuously urged the government to resettle Mohammed’s family, but no action has been taken yet.

“Many don’t have a place to call home, so they just find somewhere to sleep at night with the cattle,” Mohammed said in Hausa. “But for us, we are not leaving unless there is a new place within Abuja.”

Finding Solutions for Development and Herding

Folawiyo Daniel, a real estate developer in Abuja, has faced challenges due to conflicts with pastoralists that impact his projects. He believes the issue stems from poor urban planning.

“Real estate development is not the problem,” he stated, advocating for the revival of grazing reserves in the city for pastoralists.

Adebayo, from the Housing Development Advocacy Network, echoed his sentiment, urging Abuja’s Minister Nyesom Wike to take action and demonstrate that “the problem of open grazing in Abuja is solvable.”

Herders need to be relocated to designated areas for their activities or confined to defined private properties, he emphasized.

The official responsible for animal husbandry in the agriculture ministry declined to comment on major policy issues without prior approval, and the spokesperson for the Abuja ministry also refused an interview request.

However, following concerns raised by the Belgian ambassador to Nigeria about the presence of cattle in Abuja’s streets, Wike announced in March that efforts are ongoing to stop indiscriminate grazing, though specific details were not disclosed.

Herders have expressed their willingness to adapt to a more structured form of grazing or operate as a typical business that purchases feed instead of seeking free pasture and water wherever it is available.

According to Ngelzarma, the cattle association leader, the government has neglected the livestock sector and fails to provide the same incentives it offers to other industries, such as irrigation systems for farmers and airports for airlines funded by the government.

“The government should restore the designated grazing reserves and equip them with necessary infrastructure for water and feed production, training, and veterinary services, which would generate jobs and revenue,” he insisted.

“Only then can they expect herders to stop wandering in search of free pasture,” he concluded.

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