Officials of the Nigeria Union of Fishermen and Seafood Dealers (NUFAS) have called on the Federal Government to invest in the domestic fisheries sector to help boost foreign exchange earnings and reduce the nation’s reliance on fish imports.
The union expressed concerns over Nigeria’s significant expenditure on fish and seafood imports, which they say is draining the country’s foreign exchange reserves.
In an open letter to President Bola Tinubu, the National President of NUFAS, Alhaji Sani Usman Rilwanu, urged the government to recognize the fisheries sector as a critical part of the agricultural economy due to its extensive value chains.
Rilwanu emphasized that despite Nigeria being one of the richest nations in fish production, previous governments have failed to prioritize the sector. “The fisheries sector has multidimensional value chains and economic viability that could be harnessed to become a mainstay of our economy,” he stated.
He also highlighted the issue of foreign fishing trawlers operating in Nigerian waters under government-issued licenses, with their catches estimated to be worth between N50 million and N100 million monthly.
“The Federal Government has been losing substantial revenue and economic benefits by allowing foreign fishermen to exploit our territorial waters, only for Nigerians to import the same fish and by-products they obtained from our seas,” Rilwanu added.
The NUFAS president further noted that due to the rising dollar-to-naira exchange rate, approximately 70% of fish importers can no longer afford to continue their operations. At the same time, local fish farmers are struggling with high feed costs, lack of modern equipment, and insecurity, particularly in major waterways. “Borno State, which used to supply 50% of Nigeria’s fish needs, has now halted production due to insecurity in the Lake Chad Basin,” he said.
Rilwanu underscored the urgent need for government intervention, pointing out that Nigeria’s population of over 250 million people does not have sufficient fish protein for consumption.
He also lamented the lack of support for local fishermen, who are hindered by outdated equipment, limited expertise, and a lack of government assistance.