The Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, has stated that the number of egg powder factories in Nigeria is grossly inadequate, leading the country to spend about $1 billion annually importing egg powder.
The Minister also emphasized that Nigeria is the largest producer of eggs in Africa, with an annual production capacity of 21 billion eggs.
Speaking at the Stakeholders Consultative Forum on Egg Powder Processing and Utilization in Nigeria, Senator Abdullahi asserted that egg processing is a viable solution to egg glut, as it offers more advantages over egg preservation methods.
He explained that egg powder processing involves a value-addition procedure that dehydrates eggs and converts them into powder.
It is reported that Nigeria is the largest producer of eggs in Africa, with an annual production of about 21 billion eggs. Eggs are among the most highly nutritious and important foods of animal origin.
“Although there are a few egg powder manufacturers in Nigeria, they are not only grossly inadequate but also have small capacities. Hence, there is an urgent need to increase their capacity and establish new ones across the country, as this is the solution to the perennial egg glut problems.
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“Reports indicate that less than 5% of the country’s egg powder demand is met by local production. A significant percentage of the demand is met by imports, resulting in an annual expenditure of about one billion dollars ($1B) on egg powder alone.
“The positive aspect of this is that there is significant investment potential locally in egg powder processing. To this effect, the Government will continue to support science, technology, and indigenous innovation in the industry, as well as provide incentives to stakeholders in the poultry value chain,” the Minister said.
In her welcome address, Mrs. Winnie Lai-Solarin, the Director of the Department of Animal Husbandry Services at the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, highlighted that the Stakeholder Consultative Forum on Egg Powder Processing and Utilization in Nigeria has the theme, “Promoting Sustainable Egg Powder Processing and Utilization for Food and Nutrition Security in Nigeria.”
Mrs. Lai-Solarin, represented by the Deputy Director of the Monogastric Division, Victor Egbon, mentioned that the poultry industry often faces challenges of storage, preservation, transportation, and marketing of fresh eggs, resulting in egg gluts at certain periods of the year.
“Therefore, it is imperative that urgent measures are taken to address this issue in the industry, which has caused losses of several billions of dollars over the years. For now, egg processing is the way forward.
“While there are some egg powder processing companies in the country, they are too few and have small production capacities. Moreover, they often face challenges of low patronage.
“Hence, the purpose of this gathering is to examine this aspect of the poultry value chain, understand the issues surrounding egg powder production, marketing, market linkage, and eventual utilization, and provide lasting solutions to address these longstanding issues, thereby unlocking the investment potential of the value chain.”
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