The Federal Government has inaugurated a technical committee to accelerate fish production in Nigeria and reduce import dependence, with the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Dr Adegboyega Oyetola, saying the focus must now shift to implementation.

This is contained in a press statement made available to journalists in Abuja by Bolaji Akinola, Special Adviser to the Minister.

According to the statement, Oyetola inaugurated the “Technical Committee on Accelerating Fish Production in Nigeria” in Abuja on Thursday, charging members to translate recommendations from a 2025 policy roundtable into a practical roadmap within eight weeks.

The Minister said fish remains a critical source of animal protein for millions of Nigerians and a key employer across production, processing, marketing and transportation.

“Domestic production remains substantially below national demand, with consequences for food security, household incomes and foreign-exchange resources,” he said.

Oyetola identified high cost of feed, inadequate access to quality fish seed and broodstock, weak fish-health and biosecurity systems, post-harvest losses and poor cold-chain infrastructure as major constraints.

He also cited limited access to affordable finance, weak data systems and gaps in standards and market development.

“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 added.

The committee was set up following a strategic roundtable convened with the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, NIPSS, on October 29, 2025.

Oyetola told members their assignment was not to develop new policies, but to assess existing recommendations against the National Policy on Marine and Blue Economy, the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Policy, relevant laws and current government programmes.

“You are to determine whether each recommendation should be adopted, refined, integrated, subjected to further study or set aside as unviable,” he said.

The Committee is expected to map ongoing initiatives to avoid duplication and deliver a matrix detailing priority interventions, responsible institutions, timelines, indicative costs, funding options and performance indicators.

It will also identify opportunities for private-sector investment and public-private partnerships.

The Permanent Secretary of the ministry and Chairman of the committee, Mrs Fatima Sugra Mahmood, assured that the panel would work with government institutions, researchers, industry players and development partners to deliver measurable results.

Prof. Akintola Shehu Latunji of Lagos State University, who spoke on behalf of members, pledged the committee’s commitment to catalyse fish production nationwide.

Other members include directors from the Federal Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture; DG of NIPSS Prof. Ayo Omotayo; ED of NIOMR Prof. Sule Abiodun; Bayelsa Commissioner for Marine and Blue Economy Dr Faith Zibs-Godwin; and presidents of the Fisheries Society of Nigeria, Catfish Farmers Association, and Tilapia Development Association of Nigeria.

The committee has eight weeks to submit its report.

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