# Nigeria Launches $200m Fish Production Drive

> Nigeria's government secures $200m World Bank funding to boost domestic fish production and reduce import reliance.
- Title: Nigeria Launches $200m Fish Production Drive · Allafrica
- Summary: Nigeria's government secures $200m World Bank funding to boost domestic fish production and reduce import reliance.
- Keywords: nigeria, world bank, fish production, aquaculture, fish sufficiency, federal government, state governments, food security, Allafrica
- Source: Allafrica — https://allafrica.com/stories/202611100095.html
- Published: 2026-11-10T06:20:37+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: nigeria, world bank, fish production, aquaculture, fish sufficiency, federal government, state governments, food security, news, world, politics
## Government Secures World Bank Funding
The federal government has intensified efforts to reposition Nigeria as a fish-sufficient nation, securing a $200 million commitment from the World Bank Group to support national drive to expand fisheries and aquaculture production across the…
## Funding Targets Fish Deficit
Nigeria requires approximately 3.6 million tonnes of fish annually but currently produces about 1.4 million tonnes, leaving a deficit exceeding 2.2 million tonnes.
## Import Costs and Deficit
The shortfall is largely bridged through imports, which cost the country close to US$1 billion annually in foreign exchange.
## State-Driven Aquaculture Strategy
The ministry is pursuing a state-driven aquaculture development framework under which each state will identify priority value chains, assess investment readiness, develop bankable project pipelines and commit to measurable contributions towards national fish production.
## World Bank Support Details
The US$200 million World Bank support is expected to provide critical financing for states to implement these priorities, expand production capacity and accelerate the country's journey towards fish sufficiency.
## Minister's Commitment
Dr Adegboyega Oyetola disclosed this at a high-level Executive Training on Aquaculture Investment Guide organised by the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy in collaboration with the World Bank Group.
## State Responsibility for Production
Oyetola stressed that states must assume greater responsibility for expanding domestic production, saying, 'Fish is a pillar of food security, household nutrition and rural livelihoods.

> Fish is a pillar of food security, household nutrition and rural livelihoods. No nation can call itself food secure while it imports most of the fish it eats.
## Next Steps for Implementation
He also reaffirmed his commitment to translating the training into tangible investments, disclosing that he would oversee a post-training stakeholders' roundtable to deepen engagement with state governments and other critical actors.
## Key takeaway

Nigeria's federal government has secured $200 million from the World Bank to expand fish production and achieve food security by reducing imports.