The Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy has commenced engagements with financial institutions to provide single -digit interest loans for fishermen nationwide to boost productivity, empower operators and curb illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing.
The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Dr Adegboyega Oyetola, disclosed this during the Ministry’s Fourth Quarter 2025 Stakeholders and Citizens Engagement held recently in Abuja.
Oyetola said Nigeria’s extensive coastline, vast in land waterways, and strategic geographiclocation provide unique opportunities to harness maritime trade, fisheries, aquaculture, logistics, tourism, and allied servicesfor inclusive growth, jobcreation, and regional integration.
He out lined key achievements recorded by the Ministry over the past year, particularly in fisheries and aquaculture, where local fishproduction increased from 1.1 million metrictonnes to 1.4 millionmetric tonnes.
While acknowledg in that this still falls shortof the country’s yearly consumption of 3.6 million tonnes, the Minister said the progress reflect stargeted interventions, improved coordination, technology deployment, andbetter sectoral planning.
On the international stage, the Minister noted that Nigeria’s election into Category Cof the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) and its emergence as Chairman of the Conference of Ministers of the Fisheries Committee for the West Central Gulf of Guinea under score renewedg lobal confidencein the country’s maritime leadership, governance reforms, and policy direction.
Speaking on the newly launched Enterprise Content Management System (ECMS), the Minister described the plat form as astrategic investment that goes beyond internal administration to drive efficiency, transparency, accountability, and improved service delivery.
“Adigitally enabled Ministry is a more responsive Ministry. Through the ECMS, we arestreamlining work flows, strengthening records management, improving decision-making, and enhancing our capacity to support investors, operators, and partners withspeed, clarity, and integrity,” hesaid.
He added that the Ministry’s reformefforts have earned national recognition, citing a 96 percent performance rating by the Central Results Delivery Coordination Unit (CRDCU), positive assessments from the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC), and recent data from the National Bureau of Statistics ranking water transportation among the top five fastest -growing sectors of the Nigeriane conomy.
Inherremarks, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack, commended the Ministry for its far-reach ingre forms and not able achievements, particularly the success fulgo- live of the ECMS.
She described the digital platform as asignificant step to ward paper less governance, improved records management, and faster, more efficient serviced elivery with in the public service.
According to her, the ECMS will enhance institutional memory, reduce bureaucracy, improve accountability, and align the Ministry with the Federal Civil Service’s broader digital transformation agenda.
