By Uche Onyeali
Federal government has disclosed plans to boost local fish production and put an end to Nigeria’s dependence on importation.
To achieve the initiative, it has expressed commitment to empower youths and women with start-up grants in the fisheries sector.
This was disclosed by the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Mr Adegboyega Oyetola, during a consultative meeting with Fisheries Cooperative Groups in Abuja yesterday.
Oyetola, who outlined government’s vision to transform aquaculture into a pillar of food security, employment and export competitiveness, averred that Nigeria must chart a new path toward self-sufficiency in fish production.
“The federal government is fully committed to supporting the fisheries and aquaculture subsector through policy, technical support and financial inclusion.
“We will scale up domestic fish production, reduce dependency on imports and reposition the sector for sustainable growth,” the minister said.
He stressed that empowering youths and increasing their participation in aquaculture is not only crucial for food production, but also a strategic way to reduce unemployment.
The minister reaffirmed that the administration is committed to youth and women empowerment, with multiple initiatives already in motion.
He assured stakeholders that the ministry is actively engaging local and international partners to address industry challenges.
Oyetola also revealed that talks are ongoing with the World Bank to secure financial support for fish farmers and that the ministry would work with the Nigerian Agricultural Insurance Corporation, NAIC, to provide affordable insurance coverage.
“We are also in talks with the Federal Ministry of Water Resources to replicate the successful aquaculture model at Oyan Dam across other regions.
“This meeting is only the beginning of a sustained and transformative dialogue. Integrated planning and inter-ministerial cooperation are key pillars of our strategy,” he added.
Speaking also, Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Mr Olufemi Oloruntola reiterated its readiness to form strong partnerships with cooperative societies to ensure inclusive sectoral growth.
Earlier, President of Fisheries Cooperative Federation of Nigeria, FCFN, Mr Mashi Sani proposed a Sustainable Livelihoods and Fish Food Security Initiative, SLESI, to enhance livelihoods across the fisheries value chain.
He proposed a N75 billion three-year budget to create one million sustainable jobs, reduce post-harvest losses by 50 percent and boost national fish production by 35 percent.
Sani noted that Nigeria’s fisheries sector is crucial to food security, income generation and nutrition, especially for rural communities.
In spite of its significance, the sector faced challenges such as overfishing, poor infrastructure, lack of access to finance and weak extension services.
He urged the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy to adopt SLESI, in collaboration with FCFN to secure sustainable livelihood, ensure national food security and develop Nigeria’s blue economy.
He also called on government to address persistent issues including poor transportation, weak market linkages and inadequate technical support system.
