By Chinenye Anuforo
The Federal Government (FG) has pledged its commitment to propel Nigeria into the ranks of major fish and fishery product exporters.
This strategic initiative, disclosed by the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Gboyega Oyetola, leverages the nation’s abundant marine resources and positions it for a prominent role in the global seafood market.
Speaking during the one-day interactive workshop with stakeholders and regulatory authorities involved in stockfish and seafood imports and exports trade in Nigeria, Thursday in Lagos, the Minister, who was represented by Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mr. Olu Femi Oloruntola , in a speech, titled “The Potential of Nigeria’s Seafood Industry: A Focus on Sustainability and Growth,” underscored the immense potential of this sector to drive economic development, enhance food security, and create jobs across the country.
“Nigeria’s strategic location and rich marine resources provide a solid foundation for this ambitious goal”, he said.
However, the country currently faces a gap between high domestic demand for fish and lower domestic production, necessitating imports. “This presents a significant opportunity for growth across the entire seafood value chain, encompassing capture fisheries, aquaculture, processing, packaging, and transportation.”
The Minister emphasized the government’s priority to grow domestic fish production. “We’re actively seeking cooperation and partnerships to improve fish production in Nigeria,” he stated, “and the Norwegian Seafood Council’s stability makes them a valuable partner for us.”
On encouraging fish import companies to invest in local production, Minister Oyetola explained, “Fish importation is a big business, and the government is encouraging, or better yet, compelling those involved to also invest in local fish production.”
“We’re reviewing the fish import quota process to incentivize investment in domestic production,” he added. “The goal is to gradually decrease imports and increase local production. We have abundant resources to produce fish, and the government wants to deepen local production for the benefit of our people and the economy. This will position us to become a major exporter of fish ourselves.”
He said the creation of the dedicated Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy exemplifies the government’s commitment to achieving self-sufficiency in fish production and transforming Nigeria into a major seafood exporter. “This commitment extends beyond mere production increases”, the Minister stated.
He emphasized the crucial role of sustainable practices in ensuring the long-term health of marine ecosystems, aligning perfectly with the growing global demand for responsibly sourced seafood.
He acknowledged the valuable contributions of partners like the Norwegian Seafood Council in capacity development and food security initiatives. However , he called for even greater collaboration between the government, private sector stakeholders, and international partners. “Through a unified effort, Nigeria has the potential to unlock its vast marine resources and emerge as a leading force in the global seafood industry, ensuring a prosperous, sustainable, and globally competitive sector for generations to come.”
On zero import duty on stockfish request by the Norwegian Seafood Council’s request, he said, “The ministry recognizes fish as a vital part of the Nigerian diet and will seek its inclusion in zero-duty programs. However, our ultimate goal remains to grow Nigeria’s fish production.”
Earlier in his speech, Svein Baera, the Ambassador of the Royal Norwegian Embassy to Nigeria, commended the strong record of cooperation between Nigeria and Norway during a seafood seminar.
The Ambassador elaborated on the conference, stating, “This conference addressed the crucial issue of supporting women-led businesses in Nigeria, specifically focusing on facilitating their export of goods to other African nations. The UNDP is leading this commendable initiative, and the Permanent Secretary himself delivered an address at the event. This important engagement is the reason for his delayed arrival, and we are pleased to have him join us now.”
Ambassador Baera then expressed his support for the Nigerian government’s recent decision to establish a duty-free window for specific food items. “This action is undeniably positive,” he said.
The Ambassador focused his remarks on the importance of stockfish within the context of the seminar. “This initiative holds particular significance for many Nigerian families facing food insecurity,” he noted. “Stockfish serves as a vital source of protein at an affordable price. Unfortunately, recent currency fluctuations have negatively impacted affordability for many families. Therefore, the inclusion of stockfish on the duty-free list would be a highly beneficial measure,” Ambassador Baera concluded.
Mrs. Cheke Abiodun Oritsefemiro, Fisheries Consultant to the Norwegian Seafood Council, echoed the request for zero duty on stockfish. “Stockfish is one of the cheapest sources of protein available,” she argued. “Over five million Nigerians rely on importing, buying, and transporting this product.”
Oritsefemiro also addressed backward integration in fish production. “The Norwegian Seafood Council is ready to assist Nigeria in boosting fish farm exports,” she declared. “We’re working to remove the purported ban on Nigerian fish farm products in the EU and Americas.”
“We began training programs in 2022 for fisheries officers and aquaculture farmers to address quality assurance, sustainability, and current standards in fish farming,” she continued. “Part of our social responsibility is to educate stakeholders involved in stockfish import on the regulations to ensure compliance.”
Oritsefemiro concluded by attributing the drop in stockfish imports to currency exchange rates. “Stockfish is a necessity for many Nigerians,” she said. “If it becomes too expensive, people won’t be able to afford it. This is why we’re urging the Nigerian government to include stockfish in the zero-duty program for the next six months.”