Pig farmers in the Ikangba/Agoro axis of Odogbolu Local Government Area, Ogun State, have appealed to the Federal and state governments for urgent financial assistance after successive outbreaks of African Swine Fever (ASF) reportedly caused losses exceeding ₦5 billion and forced more than 99 per cent of farms in the area to close.
The farmers, operating under the Ikangba/Agoro Pig Farmers’ Association, staged a protest in Ikangba Town on Wednesday, October 14, 2026, with support from the Food and Farmers’ Rights Campaign (FFRC), calling for compensation, emergency grants and measures to revive the devastated pig farming industry.
The protesters carried placards appealing to President Bola Tinubu and Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun to intervene, warning that the disease had destroyed their livelihoods and left thousands of farmers and farm workers without income.
John Eko, National Coordinator of the FFRC, said more than 2,000 farmers had been affected by the outbreak, which he said began about two months ago.
According to him, tens of thousands of pigs have died, with the financial losses continuing to rise as farmers struggle to recover from the disaster.
Eko said the damage extended beyond the dead animals to farm infrastructure, feed supplies, investments and employment, leaving many farmers unable to continue operations.
He described the outbreak as the third major episode to devastate the area’s pig farming industry in a decade and criticised what he characterised as the lack of adequate intervention by the federal and Ogun State governments.
The scale of the crisis is also reflected in the experience of Trends Farms and Livestocks, which reportedly lost 671 pigs to African Swine Fever in March 2026. The loss underscores the serious financial risks faced by livestock businesses when the disease strikes, particularly farms that have invested heavily in breeding stock, feed and farm infrastructure.
The experience of Trends Farms and Livestocks also highlights the wider challenges facing pig farmers in Ogun State, where repeated outbreaks can wipe out entire herds, interrupt production and leave businesses struggling to recover their investments.
Individual farmers in the Ikangba/Agoro axis have also recounted substantial financial losses. Folorunsho Ayodele said he lost pigs worth more than ₦18 million, while a neighbouring farmer reportedly lost over ₦30 million.
Ayodele said the losses were particularly difficult for farmers who had borrowed money to finance their businesses. He added that some affected farmers were receiving medical attention following the shock of losing their investments.
Mrs Adeola Oyeleye, another farmer, said her losses exceeded ₦10 million, adding that some operators had lost more than ₦100 million.
She said many farms now had empty pens, leaving their owners uncertain about how to restart their businesses.
The farmers are demanding compensation for losses estimated at more than ₦5 billion, alongside low-interest loans, agricultural subsidies, grants and quality breeding stock to help them resume production.
They are also seeking government support for animal feeds, subsidised disinfectants and fumigants, and relief materials for families struggling to meet their basic needs.
Beyond immediate financial assistance, the farmers called for increased investment in research into effective vaccines and treatments for African Swine Fever. They also proposed establishing a high-powered technical committee comprising scientists, farmers and other professionals to develop sustainable disease-control measures.
African Swine Fever is a highly contagious viral disease affecting domestic pigs and wild boar. It does not infect humans, but can cause extremely high mortality among affected pig populations, making outbreaks particularly damaging to commercial pig farming.
The disease can spread through infected animals and contaminated materials. Weak biosecurity measures, shared facilities and uncontrolled movement of pigs can increase the risk of transmission, particularly in densely populated farming communities.
Repeated outbreaks can have consequences beyond individual farms, affecting farm workers, feed suppliers, transporters, traders and other businesses connected to the pork value chain. When large numbers of pigs die, farmers may also face debt repayment difficulties, rising restocking costs and uncertainty over when production can resume.
The losses reported by Trends Farms and Livestocks in March and the latest crisis in the Ikangba/Agoro axis illustrate the continuing economic threat posed by ASF to pig farming in Ogun State. The reported incidents have strengthened calls for better disease surveillance, improved farm biosecurity, practical veterinary support and financial assistance for affected producers.
The farmers said the latest outbreak had pushed many operators out of business, raising concerns about employment, household incomes and the supply of pork products.
As of Wednesday evening, the Ogun State Government and the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development had not issued an official response to the protest, according to the information provided by the farmers and campaigners.
The affected farmers said they would continue their peaceful appeals for government intervention, insisting that urgent assistance was necessary to restore their livelihoods and prevent the collapse of pig farming in the Ikangba/Agoro axis.
