The Federal Government has inaugurated a 17-member technical committee to address Nigeria’s fish production deficit, reduce dependence on imports and strengthen the country’s aquaculture value chain.
The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, inaugurated the committee in Abuja on Thursday and charged members to develop a practical roadmap for increasing domestic fish production.
Oyetola said Nigeria’s local fish output remains below national demand, affecting food security, household incomes and foreign-exchange resources.
He identified high feed costs, limited access to quality fish seed, weak fish-health and biosecurity systems, post-harvest losses, poor cold-chain infrastructure and limited access to affordable finance as major challenges facing the sector.
The committee is expected to review recommendations from a strategic roundtable held in October 2025 and turn viable proposals into measurable interventions.
Its final report is expected to outline priority actions, responsible institutions, timelines, funding options and performance indicators, while also identifying opportunities for private-sector investment and public-private partnerships.
The government had previously estimated a gap of more than 2.2 million metric tonnes between Nigeria’s annual fish production and its estimated national requirement of 3.6 million metric tonnes.
Oyetola said the government remains committed to increasing sustainable fish production, creating jobs and gradually reducing Nigeria’s reliance on fish imports.
The committee, chaired by the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Fatima Mahmood, is expected to submit its report within eight weeks.
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