Nigeria’s local fish production has risen from 1.1 million to 1.4 million metric tonnes in 2025, the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, has said, describing the development as a major step toward food security, reduced imports, and economic diversification.
Oyetola made the disclosure on Wednesday in Abuja at the 4th Quarter 2025 Citizens and Stakeholders’ Engagement Meeting of the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy.
He said the growth in the fisheries and aquaculture subsector was the result of deliberate Federal Government interventions aimed at strengthening local capacity, improving coordination, deploying appropriate technologies, and enhancing sectoral planning.
“In the area of fisheries and aquaculture, we are working deliberately to boost local fish production, reduce our dependence on imports and strengthen food security,” the minister said.
“I am pleased to report that local fish production has increased from 1.1 million metric tonnes to 1.4 million metric tonnes so far this year.”
While acknowledging that the figure remains below Nigeria’s estimated annual fish consumption of 3.6 million metric tonnes, Oyetola said the progress reflects growing momentum and a clear pathway toward self-sufficiency.
To accelerate growth, he revealed that the ministry has begun engagements with financial institutions to provide single-digit interest loans to fish farmers nationwide.
According to him, the initiative is designed to expand access to affordable finance, empower artisanal and industrial operators, boost productivity, and support efforts to curb illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing in Nigerian waters.
Oyetola reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to repositioning fisheries and aquaculture as key drivers of economic diversification, job creation, and food security under the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR.
Beyond fisheries, the minister outlined broader gains across the marine and blue economy sector, noting that Nigeria’s vast coastline, inland waterways, and strategic geographical position offer immense opportunities in maritime trade, logistics, tourism, and allied services.
He also highlighted Nigeria’s election into Category C of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) as evidence of renewed global confidence in the country’s maritime governance, safety, and regulatory reforms.
In addition, Nigeria recently emerged as Chairman of the Conference of Ministers of the Fisheries Committee for the West Central Gulf of Guinea, a role Oyetola said underscores regional trust in Nigeria’s leadership and commitment to sustainable fisheries management.
On maritime security, the minister said Nigeria has maintained zero piracy incidents for over three years, reinforcing its status as one of the safest maritime corridors in the Gulf of Guinea.
He attributed the achievement to sustained investment in maritime domain awareness, strengthened inter-agency collaboration, and continuous security operations.
He added that inland waterway safety has also improved through the nationwide distribution of life jackets, helping to reduce accidents and restore confidence in water transportation.
Oyetola added that the ministry has strengthened its internal capacity with the creation of two new technical departments focused on emerging priorities, innovation, and service delivery.
He also announced the official launch and go-live of the Enterprise Content Management System (ECMS), describing it as a major step toward improved efficiency, transparency, and accountability.
“A digitally enabled ministry is a more responsive ministry,” he said, noting that the system will streamline workflows, improve records management, and enhance decision-making.
The minister disclosed that the reform efforts have earned the ministry a 96 per cent performance rating from the Central Delivery Coordination Unit (CDCU), positive assessments from the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC), and recognition from the National Bureau of Statistics, which ranked water transportation among the top five fastest-growing sectors of the Nigerian economy.
In his remarks, Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), Pius Akutah, reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to positioning Nigeria’s marine and blue economy for increased investment, innovation, and expansion.
Akutah described the engagement as evidence of the consistency of the minister and his team in implementing President Tinubu’s directives and advancing sector-wide reforms.
He said the meeting, themed “Positioning Nigeria’s Marine and Blue Economy for Investment, Innovation and Expansion”, reflects the administration’s determination to move the sector to the next level.
He also described the participation of the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) as strategic, noting that stronger Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) are critical to attracting investment and accelerating growth.
As the year draws to a close, Akutah said stakeholders are renewing efforts to strengthen the marine and blue economy as a viable alternative to Nigeria’s long-standing dependence on oil revenues.
Statistics released by the ministry also showed that Nigeria’s ports recorded one of their strongest performances in recent years, with the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) posting a 16.2 per cent increase in cargo throughput, which rose to 33.52 million metric tonnes in the third quarter (Q3) of 2025.
Export-laden containers surged by 1,085 per cent, while total container traffic grew by 18.9 per cent to 546,931 TEUs. Import-laden containers rose by 33.1 per cent, and ship calls increased by 8.4 per cent to 1,074 vessels.
Lekki Port emerged as the dominant growth driver, accounting for 46.8 per cent of total cargo throughput, reflecting Nigeria’s growing capacity to handle larger vessels and expand non-oil exports.
Commenting on the figures, NPA Managing Director Abubakar Dantsoho attributed the performance to the export-focused economic reforms of President Tinubu and the strategic leadership of the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy.
