The Eastern International Poultry Summit (EIPS) 2026 concluded in grand style in Enugu, drawing a large turnout of dignitaries, policymakers, agribusiness leaders, and poultry farmers from all five South-East states. Held under the theme “From the Farm to Market: Scaling Nigeria’s Poultry Trade and Investment,” the two-day summit has been described as the biggest poultry-focused trade event in the South-East, designed to strengthen commercial linkages across the poultry value chain.
Beyond networking, the summit served as a practical platform for farmers, input suppliers, processors, and off-takers to build binding business relationships that can increase production, improve market access, and grow the region’s commercial poultry output. Organisers and speakers emphasised that a stronger poultry sector is one of the fastest pathways to food security, job creation, and wealth generation in the zone.
Dignitaries, stakeholders and regional buy-in
The event was graced by high-level representation, including officials of the South East Development Commission (SEDC), state commissioners, chamber of commerce leaders, and chairmen of the Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN) from the five South-East states and Abuja. SEDC pledged to prioritise poultry development as part of its mandate to unlock agricultural potential, boost food security, and create jobs across the region.
PAN’s South-East leadership used the platform to call for coordinated government support on critical pain points such as feed costs, day-old chick prices, and market access, while also welcoming the visible commitment of state governments to the sector’s growth.
LPRES Enugu was represented at the summit by Dr. Ossai Jonathan, Animal Husbandry Officer, underscoring the programme’s active engagement with poultry as one of the core value chain. Poultry is one of the priority value chains under the Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support (L-PRES) project, and Enugu State ranks among the highest poultry-producing states in the South-East.
Through L-PRES, Enugu has been profiling thousands of livestock farmers across poultry, pigs, cattle, goats, and sheep, while rolling out interventions such as veterinary services, farmer training, and access-to-finance initiatives in partnership with the Development Bank of Nigeria. The state’s Integrated Livestock Development Centre at Ubahu and other L-PRES-backed activities further position Enugu as a hub for scalable, market-oriented poultry production.
Enugu State’s leadership and food security agenda Enugu State Governor, Dr. Peter Ndubuisi Mbah, has publicly committed to partnering with industry bodies like PAN to grow poultry and other livestock businesses in the state. Officials have highlighted Enugu’s front-line role in livestock development under his administration, with targeted support for L-PRES implementation, farmer profiling, and value-chain investments.
This will aligns with the summit’s core message: that a robust poultry industry is central to achieving food security, reducing dependence on external supplies, and stimulating agro-GDP in the South-East.
By convening key actors across the poultry value chain, EIPS 2026 is expected to:
* Strengthen farmer–processor–market linkages that reduce post-harvest losses and improve price realization for producers.
* Attract investment into feed production, hatcheries, processing, and cold-chain infrastructure, lowering costs and expanding capacity.
* Support policy and programme alignment between SEDC, state ministries, and L-PRES to scale interventions in breeding, health, finance, and market access.
Collectively, these outcomes will help build a more resilient regional poultry economy, improve protein availability, and contribute significantly to food security in the South-East.
“The successful conclusion of the Eastern International Poultry Summit 2026 marks a turning point for poultry development in the South-East. With strong representation from LPRES Enugu, and the full support of Enugu State Government under Governor Dr. Peter Ndubuisi Mbah, the region is well-positioned to transform poultry into a major driver of food security, employment, and economic growth.”
