Nigeria losing jobs, forex to inconsistent fish import policy, Expert

Nigeria is hindering its own goals for food security, job creation, and foreign exchange conservation due to inconsistent fish import policies, according to fisheries expert Dr. Olukayode Olubiyi. These policies, he warned, continue to favor imported fish over those farmed domestically, thereby discouraging investment in aquaculture and weakening the nation's fish production capacity.

Olubiyi, Chief Lecturer at the Federal College of Fisheries and Marine Technology in Lagos, argued that Nigeria possesses the potential to produce a substantial portion of its local fish demand. However, he stated that the government's approach frustrates local producers by allowing the importation of fish species that can be cultivated within the country. He specifically pointed to tilapia, catfish, and pangasius as examples of imported species that place Nigerian fish farmers at a significant competitive disadvantage.

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When government allows the importation of fish species like tilapia, catfish and pangasius that we can produce locally, local farmers cannot compete. It takes six to seven months to raise fish, while importers bring in large quantities within weeks and sell at cheaper prices.

"When government allows the importation of fish species like tilapia, catfish and pangasius that we can produce locally, local farmers cannot compete," Olubiyi explained. "It takes six to seven months to raise fish, while importers bring in large quantities within weeks and sell at cheaper prices." He attributed the country's inconsistent import policy as the root cause of uncertainty, which in turn discourages investment and expansion within the aquaculture industry.

Olubiyi stressed that Nigeria should exclusively import fish species that cannot be cultivated under its tropical climate, such as salmon and cod. Simultaneously, the nation should prioritize the local production of species where it holds a comparative advantage. He further cautioned that the persistent reliance on imported fish contributes to capital flight and the loss of potential jobs within Nigeria.

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Today, government encourages local production; tomorrow, it opens the market to imports. That uncertainty frustrates producers. When you discover that we are no longer producing enough locally, it is largely because of this inconsistency in government policy.