Abattoirs should be operated in a healthy environment
The health of citizens should concern every responsible and responsive government, especially when it comes to what they consume daily. Unfortunately, this is not the case in many parts of the country. That is the narrative the ‘ABIS Digital Market Place’ seeks to change by modernising the protein supply chain in Nigeria, using technology to solve the inefficiencies that plague livestock, meat, seafood, and poultry market. “It is a digital ecosystem designed to connect producers, processors, distributors, businesses, and consumers through a secure, transparent, and efficient platform,” according to ABIS Co-founder, Iliyasu Gashinbaki. “We have already established an export-ready processing facility supported by a modern laboratory.”
We commend the promoters of this initiative. On several occasions on this page, we have had cause to express serious concerns over the manner of producing, handling, and transporting beef from abattoirs to the different points of sale across Nigeria. And there appears to be no credible step by the authorities to arrest the problem. This may also explain why members of the Nigerian business and political elites, as various studies have shown, prefer imported, frozen poultry products, even when no one can also guarantee the safety of these foreign products.
