The Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy has inaugurated a technical committee to translate recommendations on boosting fish production in the country into concrete action as well as drive it’s implementation.

Oyetola, who inaugurated the “Technical Committee on Accelerating Fish Production in Nigeria” in Abuja on Thursday, said the initiative was aimed at moving beyond policy recommendations to coordinated action capable of delivering measurable improvements in the country’s fisheries and aquaculture sector.

The Minister recalled that the ministry, in collaboration with the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), convened a strategic roundtable on October 29, 2025 on accelerating fish production in Nigeria, which produced recommendations aimed at addressing production and value-chain constraints.

He said the newly inaugurated committee had been constituted to rigorously assess those recommendations and turn validated proposals into a practical, prioritised implementation roadmap.

“Your assignment is not to develop another policy or establish a parallel programme,” Oyetola told members of the committee, stressing that the report of the roundtable must be assessed against the National Policy on Marine and Blue Economy, the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Policy, relevant laws, existing government programmes and the statutory mandates of relevant institutions.

He charged the committee to scrutinise every recommendation and determine whether it should be adopted, refined, integrated into existing frameworks, subjected to further study or set aside as unviable.

The committee is also expected to map existing initiatives across the public, private and development sectors to strengthen proven strategies and prevent duplication in the deployment of scarce resources.

“Your final output should include a clear implementation roadmap and matrix setting out the priority interventions, responsible institutions, timelines, indicative costs, funding options, performance indicators and required approvals. It should also identify credible opportunities for private-sector investment, public-private partnerships, development finance and other sustainable funding arrangements,” he said.

He said fish remained a critical source of animal protein for millions of Nigerians, while the fisheries and aquaculture value chain provided livelihoods through production, processing, marketing, transportation and other related services.

Oyetola identified high production costs, particularly the cost of feed, inadequate access to quality fish seed and broodstock, weak fish-health and biosecurity systems, post-harvest losses and insufficient cold-chain and storage infrastructure among the major challenges confronting the sector.

He also cited limited access to affordable finance, gaps in research and innovation, weak data systems, as well as inadequate standards, traceability and market development as constraints that must be urgently addressed.

According to the Minister, “The transfer of fisheries and aquaculture functions to the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy has provided a stronger institutional platform for addressing these challenges as part of Nigeria’s broader blue-economy development.”

He reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to increasing sustainable domestic fish production, strengthening the fisheries value chain and progressively reducing Nigeria’s dependence on fish imports.

The minister urged members of the technical committee, drawn from government, academia, professional bodies, research institutions and industry, to approach the assignment with urgency, objectivity and a strong focus on results and has eight weeks to submit its report.

Speaking earlier, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy and Chairman of the committee, Mrs Fatima Sugra Mahmood, assured that the committee would approach its mandate with a strong sense of responsibility, ensuring that the recommendations of the roundtable would be thoroughly reviewed and translated into practical interventions capable of delivering measurable results.

She said the committee would work closely with relevant government institutions, researchers, industry stakeholders and development partners to identify priority actions, address existing gaps and develop a realistic implementation roadmap to accelerate sustainable fish production, strengthen the fisheries value chain and contribute to Nigeria’s food security and economic development.

A member of the committee, Professor of Fisheries at Lagos State University, Akintola Latunji, who spoke on behalf of other members, said the committee would work with relevant stakeholders to deliver its mandate and catalyse fish production across the country.

Members of the committee include the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, Mrs Fatima Sugra Mahmood, who serves as Chairman; Director, Federal Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Abuja, Mr. Omoragbon Wellington; Federal Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Lagos Office, Mr. Garba Usman, Director; Director-General, National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, Prof Ayo Omotayo; Executive Director, Nigerian Institute for Oceanography and Marine Research, Prof Sule Abiodun; Prof Akintola Shehu Latunji of Lagos State University; and Prof Sadiku Suleiman Omeiza of the Federal University of Technology, Minna.

Others are Bayelsa State Commissioner for Marine and Blue Economy, Dr. Faith Izibenua Zibs-Godwin; Technical Assistant to the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Dr. Charles Okaga; Fisheries Society of Nigeria, Dr. Ebinimi Ansa, President; President, Catfish Farmers Association of Nigeria, Mr. Onoja Sunday; President, Fisheries Cooperative Federation of Nigeria, Mr. Mashi Gabriel Sani; Tilapia Development Association of Nigeria, Mr. Remi Ahmed, President and Country Representative, WorldFish Nigeria, Dr. Charles Iyangbe.