Nigeria’s Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Dr Adegboyega Oyetola, has announced a US$200 million commitment from a World Bank Group to support a renewed national drive to expand fisheries and aquaculture production across some states of the federation in line with efforts to reposition the country as a fish-sufficient nation.

It was learnt that the funding, which will be made available to state governments as concessional loans, is designed to strengthen their capacity to develop and expand fisheries and aquaculture activities, unlock investment opportunities, boost domestic fish production and ultimately bridge Nigeria’s widening fish supply deficit.

The Minister emphasised that current efforts to boost fish production in the country focuses on strengthening collaboration between federal and state governments, investors and development partners, in line with measures to reduce the country’s dependence on imported fish and further boost national food security.

Senior Special Assistant to the President on Marine and Blue Economy, Professor Busayo Fakinlede, delivered the Minister’s speech at a high-level Executive Training on Aquaculture Investment Guide organised by the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy in collaboration with the World Bank Group.

The training, held in Abuja, brought together key policymakers and technical officials, including commissioners from Rivers, Bayelsa, Delta and Cross River States, permanent secretaries and directors of fisheries and aquaculture from across the federation. It was designed to equip state-level decision-makers with the expertise to translate investment opportunities into bankable aquaculture projects, with emphasis on viable business models, risk management, environmental and social safeguards, and public-private partnerships.

Oyetola noted that Nigeria’s ambition to achieve fish sufficiency could only become a reality through deliberate sub-national participation, stressing that states must assume greater responsibility for expanding domestic production.

“Fish is a pillar of food security, household nutrition and rural livelihoods. No nation can call itself food secure while it imports most of the fish it eats. Our ambition is to produce more, import less and, in time, become a net exporter. That ambition can be achieved only when every state plays its part.

“Nigeria requires approximately 3.6 million tonnes of fish annually but currently produces about 1.4 million tonnes, leaving a deficit exceeding 2.2 million tonnes. The shortfall is largely bridged through imports, which cost the country close to US$1 billion annually in foreign exchange.

“To reverse the trend, the Ministry is pursuing a state-driven aquaculture development framework under which each state will identify priority value chains, assess investment readiness, develop bankable project pipelines and commit to measurable contributions towards national fish production. The US$200 million World Bank support is expected to provide critical financing for states to implement these priorities, expand production capacity and accelerate the country’s journey towards fish sufficiency.

“A Federal-State interface is also expected to provide a coordinated platform for an inclusive national fish security strategy, ensuring that the Federal Government’s ambition is translated into measurable production commitments and investment outcomes at the sub-national level”, Dr. Oyetola said.

The Minister commended the World Bank Group for its strategic partnership and sustained support for Nigeria’s marine and blue economy development, particularly its contributions to analytical studies, cluster-based development, capacity building and the Aquaculture Investment Guide.

He also reaffirmed his commitment to translating the training into tangible investments, disclosing that he would oversee a post-training stakeholders’ roundtable to deepen engagement with state governments and other critical actors, strengthen implementation arrangements and sustain the momentum generated by the initiative.

He attributed the Ministry’s progress to recent efforts of his management, citing the inauguration of the Technical Committee on Accelerating Fish Production in August 2026, the digitisation of fish import licensing and the increase in national fish production from 1.1 million to 1.4 million tonnes.

He also highlighted Nigeria’s attainment of US shrimp-export certification through compliance with Turtle Excluder Device requirements, as well as the development of the Fish City and Fish Terminal investment portfolio to attract private capital. The Minister said: “Through strategic collaboration, contributive support and shared commitment, we will close the fish deficit, create jobs, raise household incomes and secure Nigeria’s place as a fish-sufficient