Nigeria’s Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, has declared the Federal Government’s firm commitment to ending the country’s reliance on fish importation, unveiling a sweeping plan to boost local fish production through strategic investments and policy support.
Speaking at a high-level consultative meeting with fisheries cooperative groups in Abuja, Oyetola outlined a vision to transform Nigeria’s aquaculture sector into a pillar of national food security, job creation, and export competitiveness.
“Nigeria must chart a new course towards self sufficiency in fish production”, the Minister said, stressing that the government is committed to scaling up domestic production, reducing imports, and repositioning the sector for sustainable growth.
Oyetola announced targeted support for women and youth in the fisheries sector, including start-up grants and other empowerment initiatives. He said the efforts are in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which focuses on economic diversification and youth engagement.
“Increasing youth participation in aquaculture is not only vital for food production but also a strategic solution to reducing unemployment,” he added.
During the session, stakeholders raised several pressing challenges, including overfishing, environmental degradation, lack of affordable finance, post-harvest losses, inadequate cold storage, poor transportation networks, low youth involvement, multiple local taxes, and rising feed costs.
In response, Oyetola assured participants that the government is already engaging local and international partners to address these challenges. He revealed ongoing discussions with the World Bank for financial support and plans to collaborate with the Nigerian Agricultural Insurance Corporation (NAIC) to provide affordable insurance for fish farmers.
The Minister also disclosed plans to replicate successful aquaculture models, such as the Oyan Dam project, in other regions through partnerships with the Federal Ministry of Water Resources.
“This meeting marks the beginning of a sustained and transformative dialogue,” Oyetola said, emphasizing the importance of inter-ministerial collaboration and long-term planning.
Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mr. Olufemi Oloruntola, in his welcome address, reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to partnering with cooperative groups to drive inclusive and sustainable growth. He noted that the meeting was part of the Ministry’s pledge during a recent stakeholder engagement in Lagos.
Director of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Mr. Wellington Omoragbon, also highlighted the need to strengthen institutional frameworks and adopt enterprise-driven models to improve productivity and attract investment.
Participants commended the initiative as “timely and long overdue,” expressing optimism that the consultative approach would yield tangible results.