A Cry from the Waters: An urgent call to save Nigeria’s fish trade

Mr. President, They say when the well runs dry, only then do we know the worth of water. Today, Nigerians are staring at a well that is fast depleting — not from drought, but from poor management and policy distortion.

For years, I have operated a lawful business importing fish — helping to feed millions, create jobs, and support national food security. I write not in anger, but in deep concern for the survival of our industry and, by extension, the nutritional well-being of our people.

By all indicators, Nigeria faces a nutritional emergency. When fish becomes a luxury, hunger is not far behind. Our nation consumes between 3.2 and 3.6 million metric tons of fish annually, accounting for over 40% of the animal protein Nigerians rely on. Yet, our domestic production from artisanal, aquaculture, and industrial sources barely reaches 1.1 to 1.2 million tons, leaving a deficit of more than 2 million tons — a gap that imports currently bridge.

To grasp the urgency, consider this: the FAO recommends a daily protein intake of 53.8 grams per adult. For our 250 million citizens, that’s about 13,450 metric tons of protein needed every single day.

Even in 2019, before the economic shocks and currency crisis, Nigerians were already consuming below standard — at 45.4 grams per day. With today’s import restrictions and rising costs, that number is falling fast, and a protein crisis looms.

Mr. President, regulation is necessary — it ensures order, sustainability, and fairness. But when regulation becomes a weapon of exclusion, it defeats its purpose.

The problem is not policy; it is the corruption and opacity that now infect the fish import quota system — a system once intended to balance imports with local growth, but now hijacked by private and greedy interests.

I have learned that this critical quota allocation process has reportedly been outsourced to a foreign company — effectively surrendering control of a key instrument of Nigeria’s food security to private, non-Nigerian hands. What began as a patriotic effort to encourage local fish farming has been turned into a rent-seeking racket.

This distortion deepens the already heavy burden on importers: unstable exchange rates, high interest rates, skyrocketing freight costs, and multiple levies. Now, access to quotas itself is being traded like a commodity — shutting out genuine Nigerian operators who have complied with every rule and invested heavily in the business.

The effects are devastating and visible everywhere.

Prices of frozen fish have surged beyond the reach of ordinary families. Small-scale aquaculture farmers — who depend on imported fingerlings and feed — are gasping for survival. Market women and traders are left with empty freezers, and Nigerian households are forced to abandon an affordable source of protein.

As the Yoruba say, “Ẹran ńlá tó bá ń sún, kì í ṣìjí” — a great animal left too long in the sun will rot. The longer this system festers, the more it endangers both our economy and our people’s health. And as the Igbo warn, “When one finger is dipped in oil, it spreads to the others.” Corruption in this quota regime, if unchecked, will soon taint the broader credibility of your Renewed Hope Agenda.

Your administration’s goal of achieving 3.6 million tons of domestic fish production is noble and necessary. But we cannot reach that goal by strangling the import system that sustains the population today. Building the future of aquaculture must not come at the cost of starving the present. A balanced transition — where responsible importation continues alongside genuine local capacity growth — is the only sustainable path forward.

Therefore, Mr. President, we respectfully appeal for decisive action: Restore national control and oversight of the fish quota system to Nigerian authorities. Food security is a sovereign duty, not a contract to be outsourced. Recognize and empower genuine Nigerian importers with proven compliance, tax history, and integrity — not shadowy intermediaries.

Mandate full transparency by publishing all fees, processes, and quota allocations. Openness breeds accountability and public trust.

Maintain a stable import flow to ensure fish remains affordable for consumers and available to small farmers who rely on imports for inputs.

Enforce anti-corruption measures to remove bottlenecks and sanction officials who exploit regulatory loopholes for personal gain.

If wisdom is born of experience, then Nigeria has seen enough to know that good policies in corrupt hands harm more than they help. We cannot pour from an empty pot — and our current mismanagement is emptying the pot while millions go hungry.

Mr. President, I write in faith — faith that your leadership will not allow the humble staple of millions to vanish from our tables. From the lagoons of Lagos to the ponds of Kaduna, the waters of this nation carry the promise of life, employment, and dignity.

The true test of leadership is not only what we build, but what we protect. Protect our food. Protect fair business. Protect the millions who depend on fish to survive. In doing so, you will preserve not just an industry — but a lifeline for Nigeria.

Femi Olawoore is the Managing Director, Mariplus Services Ltd.

Join BusinessDay whatsapp Channel, to stay up to date