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In ternationa l
Scholars
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African Journal of Pig Farming ISSN: 2375-0731 Vol. 11 (1), pp. 001-009, January, 2023. Available online at 
www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals 

 

Author(s) retain the copyright of this article. 
 
 

 

Full Length Research Paper 

  

Application of GIS in pig production system in Nigeria 
 

Taiwo Omodele*, Isaiah Annayochukwu Okere, Mutiu Olakunle Oladele-Bukola, 
Adeboye Joseph Omole and Ajoke Oyegbami 

 
Institute of Agricultural Research and Training, Obafemi Awolowo University, P.M.B. 5029, Moor Plantation, Ibadan. 

Nigeria. 
 

Accepted 20 November, 2022  
 

This study aimed to identify the pig producers across various administrative regions and to determine 
the pig production system in Nigeria through an intensive survey of pig farms with the use of Global 
Positioning System (GPS). Categorization of farms by proportion in Nigeria showed that 81.1% of states 
had very low (<5) and low (5 to 50) number of pig farms, 8.1% of states had medium (50 to 100) number 
of pig farms and 10.8% of states had high (100 to 150) and very high (>150) number of pig farms. In 
Nigeria, there are two separate pig production systems: small and medium scales. The small scale 
system is essentially characterized by very low to low scale of production. Analysis of categories of 
production in Nigeria showed that 45.9% of states recorded very low (<100 pigs) and low (100 to 1,000 
pigs) scales of production, 46% of states were in the medium (1,000 to 10,000 pigs) scale of production 
and 8.1% of states had high (10,000 to 100,000 pigs) and very high (>100,000 pigs) scales of production. 
GIS qualitative analysis showed that in the North, the production classes: very low, low, medium, high 
and very high scales of production by states were 40, 30, 25, 0 and 5%, respectively while in the South, 
the production classes were 0, 17.6, 70.6, 11.8 and 0%, respectively. A high number of Northern states 
were identified in the low category of pig production scales while most Southern states were in the 
medium category. The application of GIS revealed that the pig sector in Nigeria is dominated by small 
and medium scales of production while the harsh climate and its future change pose a major threat to 
pig farming in the Northern Nigeria. 

 
Key words: Data integration, extension services, farm survey, pig meat, qualitative analysis and rainfall 
distribution.  

 
 
INTRODUCTION 

 
The importance of livestock sub-sector is in line with 
recommendation of the Food and Agricultural 
Organization (FAO) (2003) that on an average basis, a 
man’s daily protein intake should be between 65 to 72 g 
and 53% (about 35 g) of this should be animal based.  

 
 

The major sources of animal protein in Nigeria are beef, 
pork, poultry, goats, fish and game animals (Ajala, et al., 
2007). Pigs have some unique advantages over other 
domestic animals. They grow at a faster rate and are 
more prolific than cattle, sheep and goats (Holness,  
  

*Corresponding author. E-mail: modeltaiwo@yahoo.com  
 

Author(s) agree that this article remain permanently open access under the terms of the Creative Commons 

Attribution License 4.0 International License  



2 

 

 
 
 

 

1991 and Osaro, 1995). In addition, the pig sector 
provides employment and generates income.  

Dwindling profit in a pig enterprise has been reported to 
be a function of poor quality feeds resulting from 
unbalanced ration (Adesehinwa and Ogunmodede, 
1995). However studies on pig and poultry industries 
seem to reveal that the initial enthusiasm in these 
enterprises, especially pig production, is being 
constrained due largely to dwindling profit margins 
(Ogunfowora, 1980).  

Evidences abound in different parts of the world that pig 
sector is moving forward, unlike what is obtainable in 
Nigeria. According to Pig International (1997), a single 
integrated Spanish Company “VALL Company of Spain” 
hit a production target of two million seven hundred 
thousand pigs, as early as 1986, with directors still 
making projection of making it four million by the year 
2002. A similar report was given about farmers choice in 
Kenya, a company that single handedly produces virtually 
all the national herd of sows in Kenya, having 2500 sows 
in contract and another 2000 from internal production (Pig 
international, 1999). It is however pathetic to compare all 
these figures with the meager pig population system in 
Nigeria. The large Muslim population of northern Nigeria 
may also not favour profitable pig production in that part 
of the country (Adetunji and Adeyemo, 2012). 
 

In Nigeria, the Pig sector is dominated by small scale 
and medium scale holders. According to Eusebio (1980), 
backyard pig farming and large scale pig production are 
more profitable than medium scale pig production. His 
claim was that large scale pig producers enjoy economies 
of scale which lowers the unit cost of production when 
compared to small scale of production. He further claimed 
that the cost of feeding is skipped. He discouraged 
medium scale production for the reason that purchasing 
of feed ingredients were made in small quantities. It is 
generally known that the more the quantity of production 
the more the profit. Ojo (2000) said that the problem 
associated with small scale farming was that their scale 
of operation made it for them to obtain loan due to lack of 
collaterals. Economic development is normally 
accompanied by improvements in a country’s food supply 
and the gradual elimination of dietary deficiencies, thus 
improving the overall nutritional status of the country’s 
population. Furthermore, it also brings about qualitative 
changes in the production, processing, distribution and 
marketing of food (WHO, 2003). In spite of all policies 
that successive government made, the prevailing 
economic hardship in Nigeria has also made the pig 
production system to remain underdeveloped as a result 
of the poor purchasing strength of the consumers. 
Generally, livestock production in Nigeria is not as 
efficient relative to the developed countries. Apart from 
poultry, pig farming is a class of animal production that is 
not subjected to such heavy losses resulting from failure 
to follow good sanitation practices. Despite the inherent 

  
  

 
 

 

productive capabilities of pigs, its production is low in 
Nigeria and it is faced with a number of problems 
amongst which are inadequate supply of feed, water, 
worm infestation, good health management, religious, 
veterinary services, change in climate, housing and waste 
disposal, as well as government policy.  

Social factors that could influence pig production in 
Nigeria include a general preference for ruminant meat 
and lack of incentives for investing in large scale pig 
production due to economic, religious, political and 
climatic factors. The large Moslem populations of 
Northern Nigeria may also not favour profitable pig 
production in that part of the country (Adetunji and 
Adeyemo, 2012). Other social factors that have militated 
against pig production in Nigeria include the belief by the 
general populace that pigs are dirty and constitute a 
health hazard. This is absolutely untrue for pigs that are 
produced under modern intensive production techniques 
since under suitable modern husbandry pigs can be very 
clean animals (Ajala et al., 2007.) It is relatively easy to 
establish intensive pig production in a developing country 
like Nigeria if capital are available and adequate feed 
supplies are assured (Ogunniyi and Omoteso, 2011). 
Inadequate supply of feed poses the most critical 
problem. A number of pig farmers are faced with this 
problem leading to heavy losses due to malnutrition’s and 
increased death of embryo during early stage of 
pregnancy. Hence, feed determines both productivity and 
growth performance of livestock. It has been identified as 
a major constraint in animal production. Consequently, 
animal farmers opt for small scale production mainly to 
reduce cost of feeding. There are indications that pig 
production in the study area is mostly in the hands of 
small scale producers who may not have access to credit 
facilities because generality of the pig farmers are 
assumed to be peasants. The social factors that have 
militated against pig production in Nigeria include the 
belief by the general populace that pigs are dirty and 
constitute a health hazard. This is absolutely untrue for 
pigs that are produced under modern intensive 
production techniques since under suitable modern 
husbandry pigs can be very clean animals (Ajala et al., 
2007.). Therefore this study is expected to provide 
relevant information that would encourage pig farmers 
and new entrants to venture into pig farming, as Nigerian 
population provides a readily available market.  

As the genetic potential of pigs is being improved, 
management intervention is also essential to help 
overcome the constraints on production set by variation in 
climate. The physical environment and the health hazards 
also pose threat to huge production of pigs in Nigeria. 
Heat stress is more common in the dry season and 
especially when the environmental temperature and 
relative humidity are high with prolonged exposure to 
direct sunlight (Okoruwa, 2014). There is little or no 
robust data on the current facts about entrepreneurial 
characteristics and constraints to the development of pig 



3 

 

  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
Figure 1. Spatial distribution of pig farms in the study area. 

 
 

 

enterprises in Nigeria. Previous research involving the 
effects of heat stress on reproduction has been 
conducted using dairy cows (West, 2002). Amundson et 
al. (2006) also reported that of the environmental 
variables studied, minimum temperature had the greatest 
influence on the percent of cows getting pregnant. With 
all clarity, increases in temperature and/or humidity in the 
tropical regions of Nigeria have the potential to affect and 
reduce conception rates of pigs not adapted to those 
conditions especially in the Northern region of the 
country. If farmers are not making efficient use of existing 
technology, low production will be recorded both in food 
and livestock (Ajibefun and Daramola, 2003). This study 
will definitely provide succinct and invaluable information 
to policy makers, to help them design policies that will 
improve the pig sector as a control in filling the identified 
gaps in food security in Nigeria. There is a continual need 
therefore to generate information on the facts about pig 
production and such information is needed for proper 
planning and regulation of the sector in Nigeria. In this 
view, application of Geographic Information Systems 
(GIS) technology is needed to collect data, store, 
manage, analyse and produce useful information for 
timely monitoring of the pig sector in Nigeria. GIS 
capability in pig farming is achievable and useful in 
production level scaling, monitoring feed cost, 
investigating credit facility sources and disease spread 
analysis. 
 

 
MATERIALS AND METHODS 
 
Pig farm survey 
 
The survey was carried out in the year 2010 across all geopolitical 
zones in Nigeria. The spatial dataset of identifiable pig farms were 
collected by surveyors with the use of GPS for the identification of 

 
 
 

 
positions of the farms in the study area (Figure 1). The data 
collected was accompanied by the administration of a set of 
questionnaire which was designed to obtain information on the 
production level of the sampled farms. The farm survey stage is the 
most important stage as its accuracy ascertains the production 
capacity estimate for the investigated boundaries. 

 

GIS data integration 
 
For the purpose of data integration and querying, the logical 
structuring of the spatial and attribute data of both the farm and 
questionnaire were performed using ArcGIS ® capabilities. The 
geographical position (centroid) of each farm was defined as a 
feature data and linked with the attribute dataset of the respective 
farm to derive the farm production in a GIS environment. The 
production scales of the farms resulted in the local to the national 
estimates of scales of production. The framework of the mapping 
procedure as adopted from Omodele and Okere (2014) is shown in 
Figure 2. 
 

 

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 

 

Analysis of production by states 

 

Table 1 displays the production by States in Nigeria. No 
records of pig farms and their production were made 
available for Jigawa, Kano, Katsina, Plateau, Yobe and 
Zamfara States. Bauchi had some farms record but no 
production data.  

Analysing Table 1, the order of production by farms 
was profiled in Figure 3. Nassarawa State was 
discovered to have recorded the highest percentage 
production of pigs in Nigeria followed by Abia state, which 
had an appreciable level of production when compared 
with its percentage proportion of farms. Enugu state was 
also discovered to have recorded a significant level of 
production. It was expected that Kaduna state which had 



4 

 

   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
Figure 2. Adopted mapping procedure from local to the national level. 

 

 
Table. 1. Pig production status per State in 2010 (pigs).  

 
 S/N State No of farms Production 

 1 Abia 32 19235 

 2 Adamawa 92 3026 

 3 Akwa Ibom 108 4589 

 4 Anambra 40 5535 

 5 Bauchi 12 0 

 6 Bayelsa 9 1151 

 7 Benue 29 6836 

 8 Borno 15 225 

 9 Cross River 16 472 

 10 Delta 33 3390 

 11 Ebonyi 30 4992 

 12 Edo 45 3674 

 13 Ekiti 27 1798 

 14 Enugu 105 14659 

 15 Federal Capital Territory 5 102 

 16 Gombe 40 2466 

 17 Imo 27 4955 

 32 Jigawa 0 0 

 18 Kaduna 157 4857 

 33 Kano 0 0 

 34 Katsina 0 0 

 19 Kebbi 14 405 

 20 Kogi 9 615 

 21 Kwara 12 633 

 22 Lagos 14 2961 

 23 Nassarawa 122 104149 

 24 Niger 13 789 

 25 Ogun 72 5740 

 26 Ondo 30 927 

 27 Osun 66 4890 

 28 Oyo 36 6700 

 35 Plateau 0 0 

 29 Rivers 7 552 

 30 Sokoto 1 66 

 31 Taraba 33 5192 

 36 Yobe 0 0 

 37 Zamfara 0 0 



5 

 

 

 
 60                             

 

 50                             
 

     No of farms                        
 

 40    Production                        
 

(%
)                              

 

P
e

rc
e

n
ta

g
e
 

30                             
 

20 
              `              

 

                            
 

 10                             
 

 0                             
 

 

Jigawa 

Kano 

Katsina Plateau 

Yobe 
 

FCT Rivers Kogi 

Bauchi 

Kwara Niger Kebbi Lagos Borno River Ekiti Imo 
Benue 

Ebonyi 

Ondo Abia Delta 

Taraba 

Oyo Edo Osun Ogun Enugu Ibom  

   
 

  Zamfara Sokoto  Bayelsa      Cross  State     Anambra Gombe   Adamawa Akwa Nassarawa  Kaduna 
 

                              
 

Figure 3. Percentage production per state in Nigeria.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
Figure 4. Pig farms proportion by States in Nigeria. 

 
 

 

the highest number of farms in Nigeria should have the 
highest proportion of pigs but this presumption was not 
achieved. The occurrence in Kaduna state justifies the 
finding of Omodele et al. (2014) that the high number or 
proportion of farms in an area does not guarantee a high 
production in such a locality. 

 
 
 

 

State-based analysis of farms proportion and 
production 

 

As displayed by Figure 4 and expressed in Figure 5, 
categorization of farm proportion in the states in Nigeria 
showed 21.6% of states had very low (<5) proportion of 



6 

 

  
 
 

 
70  

 
 
 
 
 
 

 

P
e
rc

e
n

ta
g

e
 (

%
) 

 

 
 

60     

50     

40     

30     

20     

10     

0     
Very low Low Medium High Very high   

Farms density 
 

Figure 5. Categories of percentage proportion of pig farms in Nigeria.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Figure 6. Pig production level by States in Nigeria. 
 

 

farms, 59.5% of states had Low (5 to 50) proportion of 
farms, 8.1% of states had medium (50 to 100) proportion 
of farms, 8.1% of states had high (100 to 150) proportion 
of farms and 2.7% of states had very high (>150) 
proportion of farms. The highest proportion or density of 
pig farms was discovered in the low density category. 
This connotes that pig farms are not many in Nigeria, 

 
 

 

therefore pig production level is expected to be low 
because it is expected that the lower the proportion of 
farms the lower the quantity of production. By analyzing 
the categories of production in the states as shown in 
Figure 6 and summarized by Figure 7, the analysis 
showed 21.6% of states in the very low (<100 pigs) 
production class, 24.3% of states in the low (100 to 1,000 



7 

 

 
 
 

 

50  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

P
e

rc
e

n
ta

g
e

 (
%

) 

 
 
 

45     

40     

35     

30     

25     

20     

15     

10     

5     

0     

Very low Low Medium High Very high   
Production level 

 
Figure 7. Categories of pig production in Nigeria.  

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
Figure 8. North and South assessment of pig production. 

 

 

pigs) production class, 46% of states in the medium 
(1,000 to 10,000 pigs) production class, 5.4% of states in 
the high (10,000 to 100,000 pigs) production class and 
2.7% of states in the very high (>100,000 pigs) production 
class. The production analysis showed that the highest 
pig production level in Nigeria is in the medium class. 
This indicated that the pig sector and its production 
systems in Nigeria are absolutely in the small 

 
 

 

and medium scales. 
 

 

North and South qualitative production analysis 

 

As displayed in Figure 8 and summarized in Figure 9, 
further analysis of the qualitative performance of states in 
the Northern and Southern zones showed that in the 



8 

 

  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
P

e
rc

e
n

ta
g

e
 (

%
) 

 
 

 
 

80     
 

70 
   North 

 

   

South 
 

60 

   
 

    
 

50     
 

40     
 

30     
 

20     
 

10     
 

0     
 

Very low Low Medium High Very high 
 

  Production level   
  

 
Figure 9. North and South pig production level. 

 
 

 

North the production classes: very low, low, medium, 
high, very high were 40, 30, 25, 0 and 5%, respectively 
while in the South, the production classes were 0, 17.6, 
70.6, 11.8 and 0%, respectively. The most practiced 
production classes of pig meat by States in the North 
were in the low categories. In the South, the widely 
practiced class was the Medium scale of production. 
There existed an appreciable acceptance and general 
production of pig meat in the Southern part of Nigeria as 
compared with the Northern part. This approach has 
formed a platform on which further research could be 
made. 
 

 

Climatic approach to pig production 

 

As climatic conditions vary across geographic boundaries 
in Nigeria, the surrounding environmental conditions are 
expected to directly affect the rates of heat gain or loss by 
all animals. Lack of prior knowledge of adequate 
conditioning to weather events most often results in these 
catastrophic losses. As noticed that the atmospheric 
temperature of the earth has been increased as a result 
of cumulative effects of greenhouse gases emitted into 
the atmosphere through different industrial and 
agricultural activities of human. The performance of both 
domestic and wild animals ranging from insects, 
amphibians, birds to mammals are expected to be 
affected by climate variation. Therefore rainfall 
distribution pattern plays a crucial role in this regard. As 
in Figure 10, the Southern part of Nigeria experiences a 

 
 
 
 

 

cooler atmospheric condition from the annual rainfall 
distribution. Adopting the rainfall distribution patterns: 
<1000mm, (1000-1400)mm, (1401-1700)mm, (1701-
2000)mm and >2000mm, Table 2 and Figure 11 showed 
that 5% of farms within <1000mm of rainfall had 0.8% of 
production, 46.2% of farms within (1000-1400)mm of 
rainfall had 69.9% of production, 14.3% of farms within 
(1401-1700)mm of rainfall had 0.6% of production, 15.3% 
of farms within (1701-2000)mm of rainfall had 11.5% of 
production and 19.2% of farms within >2000mm of rainfall 
had 17.2% of production. The extreme part of the Moslem 
communities in the North with the lowest rainfall 
distribution pattern had the lowest farms proportion and 
production. Apart from the religious belief/barrier, the 
harsh climate in the North poses another major threat to 
pig farming in that part of the country. 
 

 

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION 

 

This study with the use of GIS techniques has revealed 
that the pig sector in Nigeria is dominated by small scale 
and medium scale holders. A high number or proportion 
of farms in an area does not guarantee a high production 
in such a locality or zone. There existed an appreciable 
acceptance general acceptance in general production of 
pig meat in the Southern part of Nigeria where a higher 
number of states had medium scale of pig production. A 
State and region-based agricultural development and 
monitoring of piggery is essential as it encourages grass-
root awareness and sensitization, especially in the 



9 

 

 
 
 

 

forgotten pig meat production sector. Introduction of 
modern hygienic practices could reduce the major 
constraints of religious and cultural restrictions in pig 
farming in Nigeria. Pig production is essential to food 
security in providing a fast and adequate protein level for 
the rapidly growing Nigerian population. As the climate 
changes, substantial funding of the sector is essential 
especially for construction of modern housing system in 
the tropical regions of Nigeria. Therefore, application of 
GIS techniques has assisted the decision makers and 
strengthened their horizon and perception of the pig 
farming system in Nigeria. GIS has also revealed the 
areas where possible developmental strategies, 
agricultural extension services and further research are 
most essential in the pig farming domain of Nigeria. 
 

 

Conflict of interests 

 

The authors have not declared any conflict of interest. 
 

 

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT 

 

The authors appreciate the availability of the pig farm 
data from the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural 
Development (FMA&RD). 
 

 
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