Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, has announced plans to end Nigeria’s dependence on imported fish by increasing local production.

Oyetola made the statement during a consultative meeting with fisheries cooperative groups held in Abuja on Wednesday.

He said the government will work to scale up domestic fish farming and provide the necessary support to fishers and aquaculture stakeholders through policy, technical support, and financial inclusion.

“We will scale up domestic fish production, reduce dependency on imports, and reposition the sector for sustainable growth,” Oyetola said.

The meeting, convened by the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, brought together leaders and members of major fisheries and aquaculture associations, including the Fisheries Cooperative Federation of Nigeria (FCFN), Tilapia Aquaculture Developers Association of Nigeria (TADAN), Catfish Farmers Association of Nigeria (CAFAN), Women in Fish Farming and Aquaculture, and the Practicing Farmers Association of Nigeria.

Oyetola announced that the Ministry is intensifying efforts to support women and youth in the fishing sector, stating that start-up grants and other empowerment initiatives are already in the pipeline.

“Increasing youth participation in aquaculture is not only vital for food production but also a strategic solution to reducing unemployment,” the Minister said.

“We are committed to ensuring that young people and women are not left behind in this transformation.”

During the interactive session, participants raised a wide range of pressing challenges currently facing the sector. These included overfishing, environmental degradation, lack of access to affordable finance, post-harvest losses, inadequate cold storage infrastructure, poor transportation and market linkages, low youth involvement, multiple taxation by local government authorities, and the rising cost of imported fish feed.

In response, Oyetola said the Ministry is engaging stakeholders, both local and international, to tackle the identified issues head-on.

He revealed that discussions are ongoing with the World Bank to secure financial support for fish farmers and that the Ministry will be collaborating with the Nigerian Agricultural Insurance Corporation (NAIC) to ensure affordable and accessible insurance coverage for fish farmers across the country.

“We are also in talks with the Federal Ministry of Water Resources to replicate the successful aquaculture model at the Oyan Dam in other parts of the country,” he added, pointing to integrated planning and inter-ministerial cooperation as key pillars of the strategy.

“This meeting is not the end — it is the beginning of a sustained and transformative dialogue,” the minister assured.