Arla Foods Nigeria is seeking to turn local milk production into a bigger market by supplying freshly produced yoghurt to schools in Kaduna State, linking dairy investment with child nutrition as Nigeria struggles to expand domestic milk output.
The programme, unveiled at the company’s Damau farm in Kaduna, will initially cover selected schools, with yoghurt supplied several times weekly in collaboration with the Milk Value Chain Foundation.
The initiative offers a potential route to expanding demand for locally produced dairy while connecting investments in cattle productivity to nutrition and education, areas the government has identified as priorities for livestock development.
The announcement came during the 2026 Arla-Dano Damau Farm Open Day, where the company demonstrated the productivity gains possible through modern dairy farming.
A Friesland Holstein cow at the farm produced 57 litres of milk in a single day during a live milking demonstration, compared with an estimated one to two litres daily from a typical Fulani cow, highlighting the enormous yield difference between improved dairy breeds and traditional cattle.
The farm houses more than 450 Friesland Holstein cattle, with Arla using the operation to demonstrate how animal genetics, nutrition, healthcare and farm management can improve milk production.
For Nigeria, where low productivity among indigenous cattle constrains domestic milk supply, the demonstration underscores the importance of investment in breeding, feeding systems, veterinary care and technical knowledge to close the production gap.
Elele Ogunsanya, head of corporate affairs and communications at Arla Foods Nigeria, said the company’s dairy development efforts extend beyond consumer products to building farmer capabilities and strengthening local milk production.
“By investing in people, skills and local milk production, we are helping to create lasting value for farmers, communities and future generations,” she said.
Idi Mukhtar Maiha, minister of livestock development, said stronger local dairy production could improve farmers’ incomes, increase access to nutritious food and create employment across the livestock value chain.
He called for sustained collaboration and investment to build supply chains capable of delivering economic and nutritional benefits.
Murtala Dabo, Kaduna State commissioner, representing Governor Uba Sani, said the state would support investments through policy stability, security cooperation and infrastructure development.
He said incorporating locally produced milk into school feeding could create a reliable market for farmers while improving children’s nutrition and educational outcomes.
The two-day open day, held on October 28 and 29, attracted more than 850 participants, including farmers, students, government representatives and dairy industry stakeholders. More than 20 suppliers of dairy farming products and services also exhibited at the event.
Arla operates the Dano brand in Nigeria and maintains dairy development operations in Kaduna State, including its Damau farm, as part of efforts to develop the country’s dairy value chain.
Wasiu Alli is a business, economics cum data journalist with strong expertise covering macro trends, capital markets, government policies, corporate earnings and comparative economics analysis. Alli turns raw data into trends that not only tells compelling stories but nudges investors to make valued and informed decisions. He’s an alumnus of Lagos State University and trained at Lagos Business School. He formerly heads the Companies and Markets desk at BusinessDay where he writes and supervises the production of well researched articles on earnings updates, corporate sectoral comparisons, market intelligence as well as interviews with C-suite executives.
