The Federal Government has unveiled plans to end Nigeria’s dependence on fish importation by scaling up domestic production and empowering youth and women in the fisheries value chain through start-up grants and capacity-building initiatives.
Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, disclosed this on Wednesday in Abuja during a consultative meeting with fisheries cooperative groups. He said the government’s strategy aims to transform aquaculture into a major driver of food security, job creation, and export competitiveness.
“The Federal Government is fully committed to supporting the fisheries and aquaculture subsector through policy reforms, technical support, and financial inclusion. Our goal is to increase local production, reduce reliance on imports, and reposition the sector for sustainable growth,” Oyetola stated. He stressed that boosting youth participation in aquaculture would not only secure Nigeria’s food future but also reduce unemployment.
Oyetola announced ongoing talks with the World Bank for financial assistance and collaboration with the Nigerian Agricultural Insurance Corporation to provide affordable insurance for fish farmers. He also revealed plans to replicate the successful aquaculture model used at Oyan Dam across multiple regions in partnership with the Ministry of Water Resources.
“This meeting marks the beginning of a sustained and transformative dialogue. Integrated planning and inter-ministerial cooperation will form the backbone of our strategy,” he added.
Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Olufemi Oloruntola, assured stakeholders of government’s readiness to form strong partnerships with cooperatives to drive inclusive sectoral growth.
Earlier, the President of the Fisheries Cooperative Federation of Nigeria, Mashi Sani, proposed a Sustainable Livelihoods and Fish Food Security Initiative (SLESI) with a three-year N75 billion plan to create one million jobs, reduce post-harvest losses by 50 percent, and boost national fish output by 35 percent.
Sani stressed the sector’s critical role in food security and rural livelihoods but warned that challenges such as overfishing, poor infrastructure, lack of access to credit, and weak extension services threaten its growth. He called on the government to adopt the SLESI framework and address systemic bottlenecks including poor transportation, weak market linkages, and inadequate technical support.
