By Olaoye Yemisi Temitope
A borehole may look like simple infrastructure: a pump, a water point and an answer to a daily need. For pastoralist families, however, it can shape an entire livelihood. Reliable water supports animal health, protects milk production and reduces the time families spend searching for what their livestock need to survive.
Its value, therefore, cannot be measured only by whether it has been drilled. Its significance depends on whether it works, who can access it and whether the community can maintain it. The same applies to training, milk collection centres and other development support: their impact is determined by what they enable families to do over time.
This is the context in which Nestlé Nigeria’s Livestock Development Project operates. Launched in 2021, it supports pastoralist communities around Paikon Kore in the Federal Capital Territory and the Laduga grazing reserve in Kaduna State through dairy production, farmer training, water access and milk-collection infrastructure.
In February 2025, Nestlé Nigeria announced that it had invested more than ₦1.8 billion in dairy development and related community support. The company reported establishing 83 dairy cooperatives involving approximately 3,000 milk producers, as well as supporting 19 boreholes and 28 water troughs in pastoralist communities.
These figures suggest an effort to address connected pressures: water access, animal care, milk quality and household income. But they also raise a more important question: what happens after the borehole is commissioned, the training completed and the project enters its next phase?
The answer will determine whether this is simply a programme that delivers facilities or a form of community development that helps rural families build more secure futures.
Giving local producers a stronger chance
One major development was the opening of a dairy demonstration farm in Paikon Kore in February 2025. The facility was designed to demonstrate improved breeding, feeding, animal health and milk-production practices.
At the launch, Sulaiman Ahmed, speaking on behalf of the Apex Union Leaders, welcomed the opportunity it presented. In a statement published by Nestlé Nigeria and reported by The Guardian, Ahmed said the facility could provide access to improved cattle breeds, practical dairy training and greater visibility among potential business partners.
His comments offer an important community perspective. For rural producers, development is not only about receiving assistance today; it is also about gaining knowledge and connections that may create opportunities tomorrow.
The project also shows how infrastructure and economic development can reinforce one another. Better water access can support animal care, while improved milk collection and cooling facilities can help producers meet buyers’ quality requirements.
According to Nestlé’s February 2025 announcement, daily milk collection at the project’s collection and cooling centre rose from 200 litres in June 2021 to an average of 6,000 litres. The company also reported that participating milk producers’ monthly household income increased from ₦70,000 in 2021 to ₦250,000 in 2024.
These are significant programme-reported changes, although independent investigation would be needed to establish how the figures were calculated, how widely income gains were shared and how much remained after household and production expenses.
That distinction matters because development should be measured by what people actually gain, not simply by what a project reports delivering.
When support must last beyond the launch
Across Nigeria, communities often rely on public services, local initiative and outside support to meet their needs. Corporate investment can help address some gaps, particularly where infrastructure and livelihoods are closely connected.
But the real test begins after the commissioning ceremony.
Who maintains the boreholes? Are water points accessible to those who need them? Can farmers obtain veterinary assistance when animals become sick? Are milk collection centres operating consistently? Do cooperative members have a reliable way to raise concerns when something fails?
These questions are essential to understanding whether a project is building lasting resilience.
Nestlé Nigeria’s 2024 annual report recorded eight newly drilled boreholes and two refurbished boreholes across seven communities, alongside nine solar-powered milk collection points in six communities. It also recorded training for 2,147 pastoralists in herd health, milk hygiene and farming practices.
Such figures establish the scale of activity but do not answer questions about maintenance, equitable access or individual household experiences. Those require conversations with residents, cooperative members and the people responsible for operating the facilities.
A project may benefit many people while leaving some needs unresolved. Recognising those gaps does not diminish useful interventions; it helps identify what must happen next.
Development that people can build on
Community development matters because it creates opportunities for people to improve their own circumstances.
For pastoralist families, that may mean better water access, healthier animals, less milk spoilage or a more dependable route to market. For the wider community, it may mean new skills, stronger producer cooperation and opportunities to attract further investment.
Nestlé Nigeria’s dairy development work offers a case study in connecting corporate investment, infrastructure and livelihoods. Its lasting impact, however, will depend on whether facilities remain functional, farmers can use the knowledge they gained and economic benefits endure beyond the project’s initial support.
Community development should not end when a project is handed over. It must continue through maintenance, accountability and the involvement of the people expected to benefit.
For communities like Paikon Kore, progress is not simply the number of boreholes drilled or facilities opened. It is whether families can rely on those resources, strengthen their livelihoods and build a more secure future.
The borehole is therefore more than a symbol of delivery. It is a test of responsibility. If companies, public institutions and community leaders remain answerable after the ribbon is cut, infrastructure can become a foundation for lasting change. If they do not, even a well-intentioned investment may fade into another abandoned promise.
