A coalition of civil society organisations has called on the Federal Government to suspend a proposed $2.5 billion industrial livestock investment by Brazilian meat company JBS until the project agreement and related documents are disclosed to the public. The groups made their appeal during a sensitisation rally in Ibadan on Tuesday, arguing that Nigerians have the right to understand the terms of an investment of this scale before implementation proceeds.
The Project Manager of the Youth in Agroecology and Restoration Network, Seyi Olawuyi, told journalists that the investment could affect Nigeria's land, food systems, environment and rural livelihoods. He said: "Nigerians have a right to know the commitments being made on their behalf, particularly when an investment of this scale could affect our land, food systems, environment and rural livelihoods." The coalition said the Federal Government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with JBS and pledged favourable economic, sanitary and regulatory conditions, while several states have indicated willingness to host different components of the investment. The proposed project involves establishing six industrial livestock facilities across Nigeria.
The coalition raised concerns about the scheme's potential impact on food sovereignty and smallholder farmers. According to the groups, international investigations have linked JBS and other industrial meat corporations to deforestation, substantial greenhouse gas emissions, labour and human rights concerns, and environmental controversies in countries where they operate. The organisations also warned that the investment could require vast expanses of agricultural land. Niger State had pledged approximately 1.2 million hectares for livestock investment, according to the coalition.
Adebukola Adekola, Executive Director of Whole Planet Initiative, said the government should not proceed without consulting farmers, host communities and other stakeholders. He stated: "Transparency and meaningful public participation must not be optional. Communities, farmers, civil society organisations and other stakeholders must have access to relevant information and the opportunity to influence decisions before implementation begins." The coalition said it had submitted requests under the Freedom of Information Act to Federal institutions and participating states for project documents but had yet to receive substantive responses.
The groups appealed to the Federal Government and state governments to publish the memorandum of understanding, conduct comprehensive environmental and social impact assessments, respond to information requests and consult affected communities before proceeding. They also questioned whether the investment would adequately address Nigeria's domestic food needs, expressing concern that a significant proportion of output might be intended for export markets. The coalition stated: "We are not opposed to agricultural investment but we wanted the projects to be transparent, environmentally responsible and aligned with Nigeria's food security priorities."