By Faridat Salifu
Civil society organisations have raised fresh concerns over the proposed US$2.5 billion investment by global meat company JBS in Nigeria, warning that the deal could have far-reaching implications for the country’s food systems, land, water, livelihoods, climate and biodiversity if decisions are taken without adequate public scrutiny.
The concerns followed a three-day Nigerian Civil Society Organisations’ Coalition workshop on JBS engagement and industrial livestock expansion in Nigeria, held in Abuja from Tuesday, September 22 to Thursday, September 24, 2026.
The workshop brought together civil society organisations, farmer groups, pastoralist associations, youth and women’s groups, environmental and animal-welfare organisations to strengthen coordination around the proposed expansion of industrial livestock production and develop a common strategy for corporate accountability.
According to the communiqué issued at the end of the workshop and signed by the Coalition — Youth in Agroecology and Restoration Network (YARN), Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), Environmental Rights Action (ERA) and HEDA Resource Centre — the document was delivered by Opeyemi Elujulo, Executive Director of YARN.
Also present during the presentation were Mariann Bassey-Olsson, Deputy Executive Director of Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN) and Africa Coordinator of Stop Financing Factory Farming (S3F); Adesuwa James Jang, Founder and Team Lead of Youth for Environmental Sustainability and Development (YESD); and Richard Abubakar Umar, Founder and CEO of Community Development and Climate Care.
The coalition said JBS, described in the communiqué as the world’s largest meat company, is proposing to establish six industrial meat-processing facilities in Nigeria under a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Federal Government.
The proposed investment comprises three poultry facilities, two beef facilities and one pork facility.
The groups said the MoU, related agreements and any Environmental and Social Impact Assessments (ESIAs) have not been made public, raising concerns about the terms of the proposed investment and the extent to which affected communities have been involved.
Coalition demands disclosure of JBS agreement
The coalition said that although the US$2.5 billion investment figure and implementing ministry are publicly known, key details surrounding the deal remain undisclosed.
It said lender terms, allocation of funds and the beneficial ownership of private investment vehicles involved in the proposed investment have not been made public.
The groups also said Freedom of Information requests submitted to the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development and relevant ministries in Ogun and Niger States had not produced the information sought.
The coalition therefore called for the immediate publication of the full JBS-Nigeria MoU, all related agreements, contracts and partnership frameworks.
It also demanded disclosure of financing terms, the allocation of the investment, any public incentives offered and the beneficial ownership of private investment vehicles involved.
According to the groups, Nigerians should be able to establish what has been agreed, who is financing the project, who owns the companies involved and what obligations the government and private investors have undertaken.
Communities demand a place in decisions
The coalition also raised concerns over what it described as the absence of meaningful consultation with communities expected to host the proposed facilities.
It said key decisions had been taken without meaningful participation by communities whose land, water and livelihoods could be affected.
The groups demanded that affected communities be involved throughout project planning, approval and implementation, with accessible grievance and redress mechanisms.
They also called for independent and transparent ESIAs covering cumulative impacts on land, water and ecosystems before any further land allocation or construction takes place.
The coalition said no project should proceed without the free, prior and informed consent of affected communities.
It further urged state governments to publish any agreements concerning land allocated to the proposed project.
Coalition questions industrial model of food security
The groups also challenged the idea that increasing industrial livestock production should automatically be equated with improved food security.
According to the communiqué, Nigeria already has functioning food systems, including pastoralist and herding systems, smallholder mixed farming, traditional poultry keeping and agroecological practices.
The coalition said these systems feed significant parts of the country but remain poorly documented, largely invisible in formal markets and policy, and insufficiently supported.
It also raised concern over farmers’ diminishing control over seeds and growing dependence on purchased inputs.
The groups argued that food security should be assessed not only by how much food is produced but also by who benefits, who controls production and whether farmers, communities, animals and ecosystems become stronger or weaker.
The coalition consequently called for greater public investment in agroecological, community-led, climate-resilient and diversified food systems rather than disproportionately supporting industrial animal farming.
Australia experience raises questions
The coalition said Nigeria should examine JBS’s experience in Australia before committing to large-scale industrial livestock expansion.
It noted that JBS entered Australia in 2007 amid promises of investment, jobs and food security and expanded over nearly two decades to become the country’s largest meat processor.
The coalition argued that the Australian experience illustrates how individual acquisitions can develop into market concentration and farmer dependency, while creating pressure on land and ecosystems.
It also pointed to Australia’s pasture expansion and export-oriented beef sector as issues Nigeria should consider when assessing the long-term implications of industrial livestock production.
The groups said Nigeria has the advantage of hindsight and should therefore examine both the immediate promises attached to the proposed investment and its possible long-term effects on farmers, communities, markets and natural resources.
Coalition cites global concerns over JBS
The coalition also pointed to what it described as JBS’s global record.
The communiqué referenced admitted high-level systemic corruption, alleged links between the company’s supply chain and deforestation in Brazil, and documented labour and land-rights violations.
It also cited what the coalition described as developments during 2026 involving the removal of explicit protections for Indigenous peoples and land rights from JBS’s human rights policy, as well as the abandonment of its Net Zero 2040 climate and zero-deforestation pledges.
The groups said these issues warranted serious consideration by the Nigerian government before proceeding with a large-scale investment involving land, infrastructure and natural resources.
They warned that the proposed investment, particularly if combined with energy and infrastructure development, could create situations where land, water and power are extracted for production and export while communities bear the associated costs.
Industrial livestock raises environmental risks
The coalition warned that the scale of the proposed industrial facilities could create significant environmental pressures, particularly in intensive poultry, beef and pork production.
It identified the management and disposal of large volumes of animal waste, potential groundwater contamination, air pollution, biodiversity loss and increased greenhouse gas emissions among the risks requiring assessment.
The groups said the concerns were particularly significant because Nigeria is already experiencing the effects of climate change on grazing land and water resources.
They warned that inadequate environmental safeguards could undermine Nigeria’s climate commitments and environmental sustainability objectives.
The coalition therefore called for enforceable safeguards covering waterways and groundwater, alongside independent monitoring and transparent environmental assessments.
Health concerns over intensive livestock production
The coalition also raised public-health concerns associated with intensive animal-confinement systems.
It said such systems could increase the risk of zoonotic disease transmission and outbreaks.
The groups further warned that routine or excessive use of antibiotics in industrial livestock production could contribute to antimicrobial resistance (AMR), posing risks to both human and animal health.
They called for the full application of Nigeria’s One Health approach in regulating the proposed expansion.
The coalition also demanded animal-welfare standards and stronger protections for communities living around industrial livestock facilities.
Government coordination under scrutiny
Another concern raised during the workshop was what the coalition described as weak coordination among government institutions.
The groups said there were apparent gaps between the Ministry of Livestock Development and other ministries and agencies whose mandates could be directly affected by the proposed expansion.
Participants reportedly shared accounts of environmental officials being unaware of aspects of proposed livestock developments.
The coalition called for the full involvement of ministries and agencies responsible for environment, agriculture, water, land, justice, finance and labour in decisions concerning the proposed investment.
It also called for the JBS investment to align with Nigeria’s international climate and biodiversity commitments and its Open Government Partnership commitments.
The groups proposed consultation before siting decisions, line-item budget disclosure, published grievance mechanisms and independent monitoring involving civil society.
Coalition outlines investigation and mobilisation plans
The coalition said it would continue pursuing disclosure of the JBS MoU and related documents through coordinated Freedom of Information requests.
It also committed to joint investigations into the commitments contained in the MoU, the adequacy of environmental and social safeguards, the ownership and financial interests behind the investment, and the state of Nigeria’s food and seed systems.
The groups said they would develop unified messaging around four questions: who JBS is, what the proposed investment could mean for Nigeria, how Nigerians could be affected and what food future the country wants.
The campaign, it said, would use local languages, community radio, drama, faith and traditional institutions, social media and trusted messengers.
The coalition also pledged to integrate security into campaign, research and documentation activities, particularly to protect community members, sources and frontline partners.
CSOs push agroecology and smallholder rights
The coalition declared its commitment to documenting, promoting and defending agroecological, pastoralist and smallholder food systems, indigenous seeds and local knowledge.
It said these systems should form part of the foundation of Nigeria’s food security and food sovereignty.
The groups also called for institutional protections, land security and seed autonomy for smallholder farmers, whom they described as central to national food production.
The coalition said it would promote farmer-led agroecological systems that empower communities, protect indigenous knowledge and maintain ecological balance.
It also declared opposition to industrial livestock facilities operating without public accountability, community consent and enforceable environmental safeguards.
National Assembly urged to investigate
The coalition called on the National Assembly and State Houses of Assembly to exercise oversight over the proposed investment.
It urged relevant committees to hold public hearings on the JBS-Nigeria MoU and implementation of the National Livestock Transformation Plan (NLTP).
The groups also called on lawmakers to demand disclosure of related agreements and assessments and provide affected communities with an opportunity to be heard.
They further urged lawmakers to protect civic space and safeguard citizens’ and civil society organisations’ legitimate right to seek information, conduct research and advocate on matters of public interest.
JBS, financiers asked to disclose plans
The coalition called on JBS to publicly disclose its Nigerian plans, impact assessments and supply-chain arrangements.
It urged the company to respect land rights and the free, prior and informed consent of affected communities.
Banks, investors and financial regulators were also urged to scrutinise the human rights, environmental and governance risks associated with the proposed Nigerian investment before making financing or investment decisions.
The coalition said financial institutions should conduct appropriate due diligence rather than considering the investment solely from a commercial perspective.
Media urged to investigate proposed deal
The coalition called on civil society organisations, farmer and pastoralist associations and community groups to document community experiences and monitor implementation of the MoU and livestock transformation programmes.
It also urged journalists and media organisations to undertake independent, evidence-based investigations into the proposed investment and its potential impacts.
The groups specifically called for greater prominence to be given to the voices of affected farmers, pastoralists and communities.
Regional and international partners were also urged to ensure that Nigerian communities and organisations are directly represented in continental and international accountability processes concerning JBS.
The coalition called for technical, legal and financial support for community-led documentation, protection of civil society actors and agroecological and smallholder-led food systems.
Coalition warns against closed-door food decisions
In its conclusion, the coalition said Nigeria now faces important choices about the direction of its food system.
It argued that unlike Australia in 2007, Nigeria has the benefit of hindsight and can examine the possible consequences of large-scale industrial livestock expansion before decisions become difficult to reverse.
The coalition said Nigeria could pursue a food future that is transparent, publicly accountable, aligned with international commitments including those under the UNFCCC, UNCBD and UNCCD, and rooted in farmers, pastoralists and communities already feeding the country.
It warned against allowing decisions with profound consequences for land, water, livelihoods and food production to be made behind closed doors.
The groups said the JBS campaign therefore goes beyond one company or one investment, describing it as a call for transparency, democratic accountability and meaningful participation in the governance of Nigeria’s food system.
The coalition said Nigerians deserve to know what has been agreed, what safeguards are in place, who stands to benefit and what protections exist for people who may bear the costs before land is allocated, public resources committed or large-scale production systems established.
“Transparency is not an obstacle to development; it is a condition for legitimate and accountable development,” the coalition said.
The groups reaffirmed that Nigeria’s food systems should serve Nigerians, remain ecologically sustainable, locally accountable and grounded in food sovereignty.
They pledged to continue working across communities, regions and languages to ensure Nigerians have a meaningful voice in determining the future of the country’s food system.
