Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, has declared a state of emergency on the National Animal Production Research Institute (NAPRI) and formed a committee to reform and revitalise the institute.
According to a statement issued on Tuesday by Auwalu Umar, the university’s Director of Public Affairs, the move aims to reposition NAPRI for greater impact in livestock research, breeding, and resource mobilisation.
The newly established NAPRI Reform and Strategic Transformation Committee is chaired by Professor J.K.P. Kwaga from the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine.
ABU’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Adamu Ahmed, described NAPRI as “too strategic to fail in its mandate,” noting that the institute has struggled to meet its core objectives in recent years.
He explained that declaring a state of emergency was necessary to address the decline in NAPRI’s performance.
The committee, he said, will design and oversee comprehensive reforms to restore the institute’s role as a key contributor to Nigeria’s livestock development goals.
The vice-chancellor directed the committee to submit an inception report within two weeks, outlining its reform framework and implementation plan, and promised full management support for its work.
Professor Ahmed commended Professor Kwaga’s leadership and expertise, describing him as pivotal to the success of the transformation process.
In his response, Professor Kwaga thanked the university management for their confidence in the committee and assured them that they would deliver results within the six-month timeframe.
Other members of the committee include Professor I.U. Abubakar, former Executive Director of the Institute for Agricultural Research; Professor M.K. Othman, former Executive Director of the National Agricultural Extension Research and Liaison Services; Dr. Tunji Iyiola-Tunji of NAERLS; Professor A.K.B. Sackey of ABU’s Department of Veterinary Medicine; and Professor Abdul Bakura, Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture.
The former Dean of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Professor Junaidu Kabir, will serve as the committee’s secretary.
