The Federal Government has unveiled a major initiative to support small and medium-sized fish farmers and reduce Nigeria's dependence on imported fish. Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, announced the plan during a high-level meeting with fisheries cooperatives in Abuja.
The government aims to scale up domestic fish production through policy support, financial inclusion, and technical assistance. Oyetola noted that empowering smallholder farmers—especially women and youth—is key to boosting food security, creating jobs, and driving economic growth. Start-up grants and other empowerment programmes are already being developed to assist grassroots players in the aquaculture space
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Fish farming associations raised concerns about challenges including overfishing, poor infrastructure, limited finance, high feed costs, and multiple taxation. The Minister assured stakeholders that the government is engaging local and global partners—including the World Bank and Nigerian Agricultural Insurance Corporation (NAIC)—to provide funding, insurance, and broader support.
The government also plans to replicate successful fish farming models across more regions. Participants welcomed the consultative approach, expressing optimism that it would lead to concrete improvements for SMEs operating in Nigeria's fisheries sector.
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