The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, looks to end Nigeria’s dependence on fish importation by aggressively boosting local fish production.
Oyetola made this observation in a statement on Wednesday, signed by his media aide, Dr. Bolaji Akinola, during a high-level consultative meeting with fisheries cooperative groups in Abuja.
The meeting, which was convened by the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, brought together leaders and members of major fisheries and aquaculture associations, including the Fisheries Cooperative Federation of Nigeria, Tilapia Aquaculture Developers Association of Nigeria, Catfish Farmers Association of Nigeria, Women in Fish Farming and Aquaculture, and the Practicing Farmers Association of Nigeria, among others.
He outlined a bold vision aimed at transforming the nation’s aquaculture sector into a powerhouse of food security, employment, and export competitiveness.
“Nigeria must chart a new course towards self-sufficiency in fish production. We will scale up domestic fish production, reduce dependency on imports, and reposition the sector for sustainable growth,” Oyetola said.
He reiterated that the Federal Government is fully committed to supporting the fisheries and aquaculture subsector through policy, technical support, and financial inclusion.
The former Governor of Osun State announced that the Ministry is intensifying efforts to support women and youth in the fishing sector, adding that start-up grants and other empowerment initiatives are already in the pipeline.
He stressed that the moves align with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritises youth engagement and economic diversification.
“Increasing youth participation in aquaculture is not only vital for food production but also a strategic solution to reducing unemployment,” the Minister said. “We are committed to ensuring that young people and women are not left behind in this transformation,” he added.
During the session, participants raised a wide range of pressing challenges facing the sector, including “overfishing, environmental degradation, lack of access to affordable finance, post-harvest losses, inadequate cold storage infrastructure, poor transportation and market linkages, low youth involvement, multiple taxation by local government authorities, and the rising cost of imported fish feed.”
Responding to these concerns, Oyetola gave strong assurances that the Ministry is already engaging stakeholders, both local and international, to tackle the identified issues head-on.
He revealed that discussions are ongoing with the World Bank to secure financial support for fish farmers, stressing that the Ministry will be collaborating with the Nigerian Agricultural Insurance Corporation to ensure affordable and accessible insurance coverage for fish farmers across the country.
“We are also in talks with the Federal Ministry of Water Resources to replicate the successful aquaculture model at the Oyan Dam in other parts of the country,” he added, pointing to integrated planning and inter-ministerial cooperation as key pillars of the strategy.
Earlier, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mr. Olufemi Oloruntola, in his welcome address, noted that the meeting was in fulfilment of commitments made by the Minister during the Ministry’s second-quarter citizens and stakeholders’ engagement in Lagos earlier in the month.
He reiterated the Ministry’s readiness to build enduring partnerships with cooperative societies to drive inclusive growth.
The Director of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Mr. Wellington Omoragbon, also participated in the session and highlighted the importance of strengthening institutional frameworks and adopting enterprise-driven models to enhance productivity and attract funding.
