In a big push to bolster home meals manufacturing and curb rising import payments, the federal authorities has unveiled an bold agenda to make Nigeria self-sufficient in fish manufacturing.
Minister of Marine and Blue Financial system, Adegboyega Oyetola, revealed the plan throughout a high-level session with fisheries cooperative leaders in Abuja on Wednesday, signaling a significant coverage shift that goals to rework aquaculture right into a central pillar of the nationwide economic system.
“We’re dedicated to scaling up native fish manufacturing, decreasing our dependency on imports, and repositioning this sector for sustainable development,” Oyetola acknowledged.
The minister emphasised that youth and girls will play a significant function on this transformation.
By strategic insurance policies and partnerships, the federal government goals to generate employment, promote meals safety, and strengthen Nigeria’s export capability.
Key to the plan are talks already underway with world {financial} establishments and native stakeholders. Oyetola disclosed ongoing negotiations with the World {Bank} for focused {financial} assist for fish farmers.
As well as, the ministry is collaborating with the Nigerian Agricultural Insurance coverage Company (NAIC) to roll out inexpensive insurance coverage merchandise tailor-made to the wants of small-scale operators.
Efforts are additionally in progress with the Federal Ministry of Water Assets to copy the profitable Oyan Dam aquaculture mannequin throughout different components of the nation, scaling up fish farming in inland water our bodies.
“This isn’t nearly meals; it’s about jobs, exports, and constructing a resilient economic system,” the minister added.
READ ALSO: Oyetola Inaugurates NPA Board, Calls for Pressing Reforms
In a parallel growth, Mashi Sani, President of the Fisheries Cooperative Federation of Nigeria (FCFN), offered an in depth blueprint to overtake the sector.
Dubbed the Sustainable Livelihoods and Fish Meals Safety Initiative (SLESI), the proposal outlines a three-year, N75 billion plan that would reshape the trade.
Based on Sani, the initiative goals to:
Create over a million sustainable jobs
Lower post-harvest losses by 50%
Enhance home fish manufacturing by 35%
Nevertheless, he cautioned that the sector stays burdened by persistent challenges: overfishing, poor infrastructure, lack of financing, and weak technical assist programs.
He urged the federal government to undertake the SLESI framework and take pressing motion on sector-wide reforms.
“Nigeria’s fisheries are a lifeline for rural communities. We should act now to unlock their full potential,” Sani mentioned.
Olufemi Oloruntola, the ministry’s Everlasting Secretary, echoed the federal government’s dedication to inclusive development, pledging deeper partnerships with cooperative societies and community-based {groups} to speed up growth.
As Nigeria confronts mounting pressures from local weather change, inhabitants development, and meals insecurity, the ministry’s plan to revitalize aquaculture may mark a turning level—positioning the blue economic system as a cornerstone of nationwide resilience.
