Oyetola Engages Turkish Investors On Modernising Nigeria’s Fisheries Sector

The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Gboyega Oyetola, has welcomed a team of Turkish fishing investors, CRD Impex, led by Cem Tarhan, to explore investment opportunities in Nigeria’s fisheries and aquaculture sector.

Oyetola disclosed this in a statement following discussions with the Turkish investors, who he said have extensive experience in fisheries and aquaculture in Turkey and are interested in bringing their expertise and investment capacity to Nigeria.

According to the minister, the Federal Government is open to investors capable of providing capital, technology, expertise and modern value-chain solutions to the fisheries sector.

He, however, stressed that such investments must complement and empower local artisanal fish producers rather than undermine their livelihoods.

Oyetola said the government was committed to creating an investment-friendly environment capable of attracting credible local and international investors while ensuring that investments in the sector remain inclusive and sustainable.

He identified inadequate infrastructure, limited access to modern fishing technology, processing and storage constraints, weak cold-chain systems and limited market access as some of the challenges affecting the fisheries value chain.

The minister said the challenges also present opportunities for investment and could be addressed through modern technology and improved infrastructure to increase productivity and enhance the livelihoods of local fish producers.

As part of the engagement, the CRD Impex team, accompanied by officials of the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, visited fisheries and aquaculture facilities in different parts of the country to gain first-hand knowledge of Nigeria’s fisheries value chain.

Oyetola said the government would continue to work with responsible investors and local stakeholders to transform challenges in the sector into investment opportunities.

He added that the goal was to build a modern, productive and sustainable fisheries sector capable of creating value and improving the livelihoods of Nigerians.