Improving Meat Safety Standards at Local Government Abattoirs in Gombe State Through Regulatory Frameworks

Local government abattoirs in northern Nigeria frequently operate below minimum safety standards, partly due to weak regulatory enforcement and inadequate institutional support. This study investigated how regulatory frameworks can be strengthened to improve meat safety at local government abattoirs in Gombe State, North East Nigeria. A policy analysis approach combined with field data collection was employed. All six local government abattoirs in Gombe Metropolis and surrounding areas were audited against the Nigerian Abattoir Standard published by the Standards Organisation of Nigeria. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 local government veterinary officers, state ministry officials, and abattoir managers. Audit findings revealed that average compliance with structural and operational standards was 37.4%. Regulatory enforcement activities including inspection visits, license renewal reviews, and penalty applications were infrequent and poorly documented. Budget allocations for abattoir oversight had declined over a three-year period. Officials cited inadequate staffing, lack of legal authority at the local government level, and political interference in enforcement as key barriers. The study concludes that regulatory improvement requires both policy reform and practical enforcement capacity building. Recommendations include revision of local government abattoir regulations, establishment of minimum inspection frequency requirements, creation of independent abattoir oversight committees, and ring-fenced budget allocations for meat safety enforcement. Keywords: regulatory framework, abattoir standards, meat safety, Gombe State, local government