India, Nigeria To Boost Sustainable Aquaculture

Nigeria and India have reaffirmed their commitment to building a sustainable future for aquaculture and fisheries through collaboration, innovation and investment as delegates gathered at the India–Nigeria Roundtable on Aquaculture and Fisheries in Ibadan, Oyo State.

The event, convened by WorldFish in partnership with the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), brought together policymakers, researchers, private sector leaders, and practitioners from both nations to exchange knowledge and explore new opportunities for sustainable aquaculture growth.

In his address at the forum, Country Representative for WorldFish Nigeria, Dr Charles Iyangbe, described the roundtable as a strategic platform for reflection, partnership, and action to transform Nigeria’s aquaculture landscape.

He said that while India has made impressive progress in developing a vibrant aquaculture sector that contributes significantly to food security, employment, and economic growth, Nigeria possesses enormous potential to follow a similar trajectory.

Iyangbe highlighted that the engagement would help identify investment models, innovation pathways, and institutional linkages capable of driving inclusive sectoral growth.

According to WorldFish, the dialogue is part of a broader South–South collaboration to accelerate sustainable food systems through knowledge exchange and technology transfer.

The workshop also provided a forum for examining the enabling environment and barriers affecting private sector participation, particularly in access to finance, infrastructure development, policy frameworks, and technology adoption.

Iyangbe said WorldFish’s work in Nigeria was focused on bridging the gap between rising fish demand and domestic supply, which currently costs the country over $1.2 billion annually in fish imports.

“Through projects such as the NORAD-funded Development and Scaling of Sustainable Feeds for Resilient Aquatic Food Systems in Sub-Saharan Africa (FASA) and the UK-funded Asia–Africa BlueTech Superhighway (AABS), WorldFish is supporting innovations in affordable fish feed, improving seed systems, promoting digital biosecurity, and empowering smallholder farmers, women, and youth in aquaculture enterprise development”, he said.

He emphasised that aquaculture was about fish production and people—creating livelihoods, ensuring nutrition, and protecting ecosystems.

The Indian delegation, led by Dr Joykrushna Jena, deputy director general (Fisheries Science) of ICAR, included senior experts from India’s Ministry of Agriculture and the Central Institute of Freshwater Aquaculture, among others.