By Chinenye Anuforo
The Norwegian Seafood Council (NSC)has disclosed that export of stockfish from Norway to Nigeria in 2023 dropped by 27 per cent from over N43 billion in to N31.53 billion.
The Council said the reduction was significant and is now further down in October down 53 per cent from 30700 tonnes to 14,400 tonnes.
It gave two reasons why the exports suffered this down-turn this year to include the general trend of recession in the Nigerian market coupled with difficulties related to foreign currency.
The group added that other imported species have suffered as well as Herring recorded a reduction of 95 per cent both in volume and value.
Mackerel import was also down by 47 per cent in volume and 40per cent in value.
Speaking at a stakeholders’ meeting hosted by the Council in Lagos, Norwegian Ambassador to Nigeria, Svein Beara, said the inability of Nigerian importers to access forex from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to trade on the stockfish has been the reason the volume had dwindled over time.
He said that the Norwegian government will continue to support Nigerian fish farmers to gain in-road into the European fish market provided the quality and standards are met.
For his own part, Director for Africa, Norwegian Seafood Council, Mr. Tronds Kostveit, discussed market penetration of Norwegian stockfish in Nigeria and the benefits of the relationship between the two countries..
He emphasized the high quality of Norwegian stockfish and its importance in Nigerian cuisine.
Hear him: “Well, first of all, our stockfish is of top quality. It is the best cod we have in Norway, and in the world and we are so happy that it has become a very important part of the Nigerian cuisine.
We see that it employs a lot of people. Many livelihoods depend on the stockfish trade as both men and women are involved in the sales in all the markets.
Again, because we also know that Nigeria wants to start to do aquaculture as we have done in Norway, we therefore, organised a four-day competence building seminar with the topic of aquaculture and also how Nigeria can export the fish that is being produced by aquaculture or onshore fish farming.”
The Consultant to the NSC in Nigeria, Abiodun Cheke, explained that Norway and Nigeria have had a long-term trade relationship, and the recent lifting of foreign exchange restriction on stocfish by the Central Bank of Nigeria is expected to strengthen this relationship further.
“The NSC will increase its assistance to Nigeria in terms of quality assurance and training, and Norway has a special window for Nigerian fish farms to enter Norway with 0% import duty. The relationship between the two countries is also expected to promote the consumption of Nigerian local fish and advance Nigeria’s blue economy”, she said.
In his keynote address, Senator Abubaka Kyari, Minister, Federal Ministry of Agriculture & Food Security pointed out that fish as is an important component of the human diet, accounting for over 20% of the average intake of animal proteins and essential fatty acids for around half of the world’s population.
The role-of the seafood industry in Nigeria’s contributes largely to the economy and food supply. “In terms of economic contribution, the seafood industry plays a role in international
trade. According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), during the first quarter of 2023 Nigeria had exported frozen shrimp and prawns worth 5.13 billion Naira.
It also provides employment opportunities along the entire value chain: from fishing to
processing and marketing, for a significant number of people, particularly in the coastal and
riverine areas of the country. Fishing and its related activities contribute to the livelihoods of
many small-scale fishermen and fisherwomen in Nigeria.”
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