To further deepen Nigeria’s Marine and Blue Economy, maritime stakeholders who gathered at a seminar in Lagos opine that for the Nigerian economy to expand and realize its full potential, there is the need to create the appropriate infrastructure around the N25 trillion fishing sub-sector including the deployment of specialized fishing ports in the country’s major fishery hubs
By Edu Abade
The fishing sector of Africa’s number one economy is worth over N25 trillion, but the sector needs to be strengthened with adequate infrastructure, manpower, monitoring and evaluation, as well as the creation of specialized fishing ports to fully realize its potentiality
In that regard, Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho, canvassed the development of dedicated fishing ports and specialized fish terminals as part of efforts to unlock Nigeria’s fisheries potential and strengthen the country’s blue economy.
The NPA helmsman, who was represented by the Assistant General Manager, Corporate and Strategic Communication at the NPA, Adegbite Adewunmi stated this at the National Conference on Sustainable Fishing with the theme, Sustainable Fishing In Nigeria, Pathways to Growth, Food Security and Coastal Livelihoods organised by the Maritime Correspondents Association of Nigeria (MARCON).
Dantsoho said the development of a viable fish economy required investment in core fishing port infrastructure, efficient handling systems and logistics facilities designed specifically for perishable cargo such as fish.
He said the NPA was examining the role of fishing ports, specialised terminals, environmental considerations and efficient port operations in supporting the fisheries value chain.
According to him, ports form an important link in the international logistics chain by providing the pathway through which goods move from producers to consumers.
The NPA boss explained that commercial ports generally perform three major functions: loading and unloading of cargo, transfer of cargo and storage.
Dantsoho also noted that commercial ports could either be multipurpose facilities handling different categories of cargo or specialized ports and terminals in fishing hotbeds like those in Andoni Rivers State and Oron, Akwa Ibom State designed to handle specific commodities.
Using fish as an example, he said Nigeria could develop dedicated fish terminals within its port system, similar to specialised port facilities in some other countries.
He said such terminals could be equipped specifically to handle fish and other seafood, thereby improving efficiency and supporting the development of the fisheries sector.
Infrastructure for Fishing Ports
Dantsoho identified several critical infrastructure requirements for functional fishing ports, including marine structures, cargo-handling facilities, logistics support, cold storage facilities and efficient road connections.
He said breakwaters were particularly important because they help protect harbours from wave action and create safer conditions for vessel and cargo operations, pointing out that breakwaters constitute a significant component of the cost of developing port infrastructure because of the scale of construction required.
He also identified quay infrastructure as essential for fishing ports, providing berthing facilities where trawlers and other fishing vessels can dock for cargo operations and other services.
Other critical infrastructure, he said, includes slipways and shipyards, which allow fishing vessels to undergo maintenance and repairs.
He stressed the importance of navigational channels, noting that although many fishing vessels and trawlers do not have very deep drafts, channels must remain sufficiently navigable to enable vessels to safely enter and leave ports.
Cold Storage, Processing Facilities
The NPA managing director also emphasized the importance of cold-chain infrastructure because fish is a highly perishable commodity.
He said fishing ports should have ice plants, refrigerated storage and other cold-storage facilities capable of maintaining fish at appropriate temperatures from the point of landing until distribution, adding, “The moment the fish goes bad, there’s no way we can be talking about selling it.”
He also called for the development of processing and packaging facilities within or around fishing terminals.
Such facilities, he explained, would allow fish and other seafood products to be processed, packaged and prepared for domestic distribution or export.
Dantsoho said these facilities represented potential investment opportunities for private-sector operators seeking to participate in the fisheries value chain.
Beyond port infrastructure, he said efficient road logistics were necessary to connect fishing ports with markets and consumers.
He noted that the movement of fish from the port does not mark the end of the logistics chain, stressing that the ultimate objective was to ensure that the commodity reaches the final consumer efficiently and in good condition.
Dantsoho, therefore, canvassed an integrated approach to fishing-port development that combines marine infrastructure, specialized terminals, cold-chain systems, processing facilities and efficient road networks.
He said such investments would help reduce losses of perishable fish products, improve the efficiency of the fisheries value chain and contribute to the development of Nigeria’s blue economy.
In his intervention, President of the International Maritime Institute of Nigeria IMION, Rear Admiral (Rtd.) Thaddeus Udofia, lamented that Nigeria’s seafood imports bill has been on a constant rise despite the country’s vast fisheries potential
He argued that Nigeria’s continued dependence on seafood imports despite its vast fisheries resources posed a major challenge to food security, coastal livelihoods and economic development,
Insisting that Nigeria was endowed with extensive marine and inland water resources capable of supporting food production, employment and economic growth, the country had yet to fully harness the potential of its fisheries sector.
In his considered opinion, Nigeria’s maritime domain includes an extensive coastline, its 200-nautical-mile Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), inland waterways, creeks, estuaries and the Niger Delta Basin, all of which possess significant fisheries and aquaculture potential.
However, Citing data from the United Nations Commodity Trade Statistics Database (UN Comtrade), Udofia said the sector had suffered from under-investment, weak management and unsustainable exploitation over the years, maintaining that Nigeria’s imports of frozen fish and seafood rose from $606 million in 2023 to $688.5 million in 2024, with a further increase recorded in 2025.
He described the situation as a paradox, given Nigeria’s abundant aquatic resources and the growing demand for seafood from its large and youthful population just as he identified overfishing, climate change and illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing as major threats to the sustainability of Nigeria’s fisheries.
He warned that illegal fishing activities within Nigeria’s maritime domain were depleting fish stocks, while destructive fishing practices were damaging marine habitats and undermining the livelihoods of artisanal fishermen.
“When the local fisherman in Ondo, for instance, ventures out to sea and returns with an empty canoe, that is not simply a bad day at work. That is a direct challenge to Nigeria’s national security,” he said.
To address the challenges, Udofia advocated a strategic framework centred on stronger regulation and enforcement, sustainable resource management, technology and data intelligence, institutional collaboration and community-based fisheries management.
He stressed the importance of using modern maritime technology, including satellite surveillance, spatial monitoring and data analysis, to improve the management of Nigeria’s fisheries resources, adding, “We cannot effectively manage what we do not accurately measure.”
He also called for stricter monitoring of industrial fishing activities and effective catch-control measures to ensure that fish stocks and marine habitats have sufficient time to regenerate.
On community participation, Udofia said coastal communities should be given a greater role in managing and protecting local fishing grounds, saying, “We cannot achieve sustainable fishing through rigid top-down enforcement alone without community-driven initiatives.”
He proposed empowering local cooperative societies and giving communities legitimate co-management responsibilities over fishing grounds.
Udofia further advocated greater investment in skills development for young people in coastal communities.
He said IMION was exploring capacity-building programmes that would equip coastal youths not only for fishing but also for opportunities as marine entrepreneurs, ecosystem conservationists, tour guides, boat builders and specialized technicians.
Also speaking, Trade Maritime Customs Consultant and Chief Consulting Officer, Port Protocols Limited, Deputy Comptroller General of Customs (rtd), Dera Nnadi, advocated the development of a clear and practical policy framework to unlock Nigeria’s estimated ₦25 trillion fish economy.
Nnadi described fish as a sustainable staple for Nigerians, noting that beyond its importance as a source of food and nutrition, some fish species also have significant ornamental value.
The retired Customs officer noted that Nigeria is blessed with abundant resources of both consumable and ornamental fish, presenting enormous opportunities for economic development, employment, and wealth creation.
“Nigeria’s fish economy is estimated at about ₦25 trillion,” Nnadi said, adding that the figure was approximately seven and a half times the entire 2025 budget of Lagos State, which he noted, remains substantial to the national economy.
