Oyetola vows to end fish importation, unveils push for aggressive local production

The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, has pledged to eliminate Nigeria’s reliance on imported fish by significantly expanding local fish production through a comprehensive national strategy.

Speaking in Abuja on Wednesday during a high-level consultative meeting with fisheries cooperative groups, Oyetola outlined an ambitious roadmap to transform Nigeria’s aquaculture sector into a major contributor to food security, job creation, and export development.

“Nigeria must take decisive steps toward achieving self-sufficiency in fish production,” Oyetola said, noting that the Federal Government is determined to back the fisheries and aquaculture subsector with policy reforms, technical assistance, and inclusive financing.

He added, “We will expand domestic fish production, curb our dependency on imports, and position the sector for long-term, sustainable growth.”

The event, hosted by the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, brought together stakeholders from key fisheries and aquaculture associations, including the Fisheries Cooperative Federation of Nigeria (FCFN), Tilapia Aquaculture Developers Association of Nigeria (TADAN), Catfish Farmers Association of Nigeria (CAFAN), Women in Fish Farming and Aquaculture, and the Practising Farmers Association of Nigeria.

Oyetola announced plans to scale up support for women and youth in the fishing industry, including start-up grants and targeted empowerment programmes. He said this initiative aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritises youth participation and economic diversification.

“Increasing youth involvement in aquaculture is crucial not only for boosting food production but also as a strategic means to tackle unemployment,” he said. “We are committed to ensuring no one is excluded from this transformation, especially women and young Nigerians.”

During the interactive session, participants raised multiple pressing challenges confronting the industry. These included overfishing, environmental degradation, difficulty accessing affordable finance, high post-harvest losses, poor cold storage and transport infrastructure, limited market access, multiple taxation by local governments, and the rising cost of imported fish feed.

In response, the Minister gave strong reassurances that the government is engaging both local and international partners to address the issues decisively. He disclosed that discussions are ongoing with the World Bank to unlock financial support for fish farmers and confirmed that collaboration is underway with the Nigerian Agricultural Insurance Corporation (NAIC) to provide affordable insurance cover for stakeholders in the sector.

Oyetola also revealed that the Ministry is working with the Federal Ministry of Water Resources to replicate the successful aquaculture model at the Oyan Dam in other regions of the country. He stressed that cross-ministerial cooperation and integrated planning are essential to the sector’s revival.

“This meeting marks the start of a continuous and transformational engagement,” he said.

Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mr Olufemi Oloruntola, who delivered the welcome address, explained that the session fulfilled promises made by the Minister during the Ministry’s second-quarter citizens and stakeholders engagement held in Lagos on 3 July. He reiterated the Ministry’s commitment to partnering with cooperative societies to promote inclusive development.

Director of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Mr Wellington Omoragbon, also addressed the gathering, calling for stronger institutional structures and enterprise-oriented strategies to drive innovation, productivity, and investment in the sector.

Participants commended the initiative as both timely and necessary, expressing optimism that the consultative format would lead to concrete and lasting outcomes.

The meeting concluded with renewed confidence in Nigeria’s ability to achieve fish production self-sufficiency and emerge as a net exporter in the foreseeable future.