The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Alhaji Sabo Nanono has revealed that with the revitalization of the aquacultural value chain by the Federal Government, Nigeria may stop fish importation in 2022.

Nanono made this revelation during the reception of a delegation from the National Fish Association of Nigeria (NFAN) led by its National President, Dr. Gabriel Ogunsanya, in Abuja.

He emphasized that it was high time Nigeria utilized the huge opportunities in fisheries and aquaculture for local consumption and export and that the government had started placing measures to actualize the plan.

The Minister said that fish farming is an area that needs attention, not only from the government but in joint hands with private businesses to promote fish production and significantly reduce importation of fish into the country.

“The issuance of license along the value chain has increased positively over the years and I hope next year we will further cut it so that in the next two years we may rely entirely on what we produce here”.

“It is important that producers and processors take note of your development in the fish sector and look for ways to fit in towards this because, in the next years, we probably will not allow the importation of fish into the country.”

Nanono said that locally bred catfish and tilapia fish have a high local consumption rate and are popular in the international market which gives local producers and processors a huge opportunity.

“We can only rear catfish, tilapia and a few other species but I know for a fact that the consumption of catfish is very high in this country it now has an export market.

Source: AgroNigeria