Ogun State Government has reaffirmed its commitment to boosting aquaculture development as it revealed wide-ranging support for fish farmers during the 15th Gateway International Trade Fair “Farmers’ Day,” themed “Promoting Fish and Aquaculture Business Through Partnership,” at the Trade Fair Complex, Abeokuta.

Speaking at the event, Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Hon. Bolu Owotomo, said the administration’s intervention in the aquaculture sector were designed to reduce fish production costs, improve farmers’ incomes and reduce Nigeria’s heavy dependence on imported fish.

Owotomo disclosed that under the State’s Farmers Information Management System (OGFIMS), no fewer than 5,068 fish farmers had been formally registered, with about 4,300 farmers organised into five major fish clusters across the State, explaining further that all the farmer clusters benefited from free capacity-building programmes, including; training in group dynamics, bookkeeping and proposal writing to improve their access to finance.

He revealed that the State government subsidised 197,000 bags of fish feed for the cluster farmers at a cost of ₦2.7 billion, describing the intervention as direct financial relief that had significantly lowered production expenses, adding that the subsidy also helped reduce the market price of fish and made the business more profitable for local producers.

“Beyond improving farmers’ earnings, this initiative supports the broader national goal of reducing fish importation,” Owotomo said.

He explained that Nigeria’s annual fish demand stands at about 3.6 million metric tonnes, while local production meets only about 55 percent, forcing the country to spend over $1.3 billion annually on fish imports.

To further strengthen value addition, the Commissioner said the Government had equipped fish clusters with modern processing facilities, including; cold storage systems, smoking kilns of varying capacities and industrial weighing scales, noting that these facilities, would help farmers preserve, process and market their fish more efficiently.

Owotomo also highlighted Government intervention in addressing environmental challenges affecting fish farms, recalling that drainage channels in some cluster areas were cleared in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment to prevent recurring flooding.

In addition, he announced that some fish farmers in the clusters had benefited from ₦50 million revolving loan scheme at single percent interest, with many already progressing into a second loan cycle due to their ability to make prompt repayment.

Owotomo emphasised that the State’s agricultural drive had risen with other development efforts, noting that the administration remained committed to ensuring farmers receive the support needed to grow sustainable agribusinesses.

He described the trade fair as an important platform for fish farmers to network, explore partnerships and showcase their products, expressing optimism that the aquaculture subsector would record even greater growth in the coming year.

In his presentation, a representative from the Federal University of Agriculture, Prof. Akinyemi Adeolu, said that Aquaculture was developed globally to bridge the widening gap between fish demand and supply caused by over-exploitation of natural water bodies, stressing that Nigeria is endowed with marine, brackish and freshwater resources, each capable of supporting different fish and shellfish species, thereby offering diverse investment opportunities across the value chain.

Prof. Akinyemi emphasised that Aquaculture goes far beyond fish breeding, identifying multiple areas where partnerships are required, including; hatchery operations, grow-out systems, feed production, cold storage, processing, pond construction, water management, research and financing, describing Aquaculture as a very big business which did not involve only farmers, but engineers, researchers, processors, artisans and financiers, as everyone had a role to play.

Also speaking at the event, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of AK Farm and Feedmill, Alhaji Muritala Tijani, outlined practical partnership models that could enhance production and profitability in the Aquaculture sector, encouraging farmers to collaborate among themselves by sharing production cycles, stocking arrangements and market access, explaining that such cooperation could help reduce costs and stabilise income.

He urged farmers to partner with suppliers, fish processors, marketers, cooperatives and private investors, adding that partnerships must be structured to ensure mutual profit and accountability.