Nigerian fish farmers call for increased state support to reduce the deficit

President of the Nigeria Fish Farmers Association (NFAN) Ladan Aliyu stated the need to strengthen cooperation between fish farmers and achieve more active support from the state. According to him, domestic production provides less than 25% of the 300,000 metric tons of fish required for consumption in the country, while imports cover only half of this deficit. He announced this in Abuja on Wednesday during the inauguration events of the association's new executive committee.

To expand production volumes, the head of NFAN urged farmers to unite into sustainable cooperatives. This will allow them to organize training, obtain the necessary resources, and interact more effectively with the authorities on fisheries policy issues. NFAN Vice President Adewale Adevu noted that the rise in fish prices is connected to global market conditions, import dependence, and currency fluctuations—specifically, the depreciation of the naira, which makes imports more expensive.

Representatives of the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, including Felicia Ude and Usman Bokani, congratulated the new committee lineup elected on July 29, 2026. The ministry urged the association's leadership to ensure transparency, accountability, and unity among the organization's members, and also emphasized the state's readiness to cooperate with NFAN within the framework of existing powers to support the aquaculture and fisheries sector.