The Federal Government of Nigeria has given a newly inaugurated technical committee eight weeks to develop measures capable of addressing Nigeria’s 2.2 million-tonne fish production deficit.
Inaugurating the Technical Committee on Accelerating Fish Production in Nigeria, Nigeria’s Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Dr. Adegboyega Oyetola, said on Thursday in Abuja said that the committee was expected to translate recommendations from an October 2025 strategic roundtable into practical actions capable of increasing domestic production and reducing dependence on fish imports.
“The committee has been given eight weeks to move from recommendations to a practical implementation roadmap that addresses the major constraints limiting fish production and supply across Nigeria.
“We must identify interventions that can deliver measurable improvements in production, processing, storage and marketing, while creating opportunities for investment, job creation and stronger participation across the value chain.
“Nigeria cannot continue to depend heavily on imported fish when we have the resources and human capacity to expand domestic production and strengthen food security,” he said.
The minister identified high feed costs, inadequate access to quality fish seed and broodstock, weak fish health systems, post-harvest losses and inadequate cold-chain infrastructure as major constraints.
He also cited limited access to affordable finance, research and innovation gaps, weak data systems, inadequate standards, traceability challenges and insufficient market development among issues requiring urgent attention.
Oyetola said the transfer of fisheries and aquaculture functions to the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy had provided a stronger institutional platform for addressing challenges.
He reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to increasing sustainable domestic fish production, strengthening the fisheries value chain and progressively reducing Nigeria’s dependence on imported fish.
The minister said that the ministry, in collaboration with the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, held a strategic roundtable on Oct. 29, 2025, on accelerating fish production.
He said the roundtable produced recommendations aimed at addressing production and value-chain constraints, adding that the new committee would rigorously assess the proposals and determine priorities.
Oyetola charged the committee to establish whether recommendations should be adopted, refined, integrated into existing frameworks, subjected to further study or discarded where considered unviable.
He also directed members to map existing initiatives across public, private and development sectors, in order to strengthen proven strategies and avoid duplication of scarce resources.
According to him, the committee’s final report should contain priority interventions, responsible institutions, timelines, indicative costs, funding options, performance indicators and required approvals.
He said that the report should also identify credible opportunities for private-sector investment, public-private partnerships, development finance and other sustainable funding arrangements to support implementation.
The minister urged members drawn from government, academia, professional bodies, research institutions and industry to approach the assignment with urgency, objectivity and a strong focus on results.
He said that recommendations should be realistic, evidence-based and financially responsible, while delivering tangible improvements in fish production, employment generation and food security across the country.
Oyetola assured the committee of the ministry’s support, expressing confidence that its work would provide a practical pathway for accelerating growth in Nigeria’s fisheries and aquaculture sector.
Nigeria’s annual fish requirement is estimated at more than 3.6 million metric tonnes, while domestic production stands at 1.4 million metric tonnes in 2025, leaving a substantial supply gap.
GIK/APA