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Food supply

Nigeria Aims to End Fish Imports with Domestic Aquaculture Expansion

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

The Nigerian government has vowed to wean itself off fish imports through increased domestic aquaculture production and empowerment of youth and women across the fisheries value chain. Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Mr. Adegboyega Oyetola, has outlined a plan to transition Nigeria from an import-dependent fish economy to one driven by local innovation and inclusive growth. This shift is expected to tackle unemployment, ensure food security, and meet the country's rising protein demand through homegrown solutions.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Tinubu administration is prioritizing food security through aquaculture expansion and inter-ministerial collaboration, with a focus on technical training, policy reforms, and access to affordable financing for fish farmers.
  • The Federal Government is in ongoing discussions with the World Bank to secure financial assistance for industry stakeholders and collaborating with the Nigerian Agricultural Insurance Corporation (NAIC) to provide insurance coverage for small-scale fishers.
  • The Oyan Dam aquaculture project will be replicated across multiple regions to scale impact and create more jobs for young people in the sector.
  • Empowering youth in aquaculture is seen as a critical strategy to tackle unemployment, increase food production, and ensure Nigeria meets its rising protein demand sustainably.
  • The Sustainable Livelihoods and Fish Food Security Initiative (SLESI) proposal seeks to create one million sustainable jobs, reduce post-harvest losses by 50%, and boost fish production by 35% over a three-year period.
  • Nigeria's fishery sector faces chronic issues like overfishing, lack of infrastructure, limited access to finance, poor transportation, and inadequate technical support systems.
  • The initiative is crucial as Nigeria spends billions annually on fish imports, despite having abundant aquatic resources and a large unemployed youth population that could be mobilized into aquaculture production.
  • The Nigerian government has committed to a three-year plan to press ahead with aquaculture expansion, inter-ministerial collaboration, youth empowerment, and financial assistance from the World Bank.

Statistics:

  • Nigeria spends billions annually on fish imports.
  • The Sustainable Livelihoods and Fish Food Security Initiative (SLESI) proposes creating one million sustainable jobs.
  • The initiative targets a 50% reduction in post-harvest losses and a 35% increase in fish production over three years.
  • The Nigerian government has stated its commitment to implementing the SLESI initiative across multiple regions.

Sources:

  • "Minister of Marine and Blue Economy" - Mr. Adegboyega Oyetola
  • "Fisheries Cooperative Federation of Nigeria (FCFN)" - Mr. Mashi Sani
  • "Sustainable Livelihoods and Fish Food Security Initiative (SLESI)"
  • "Nigerian Agricultural Insurance Corporation (NAIC)"

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