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By Godswill Michael
Nigeria’s Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Dr. Adegboyega Oyetola, has called for coordinated regional action and increased investment to unlock the full potential of the fisheries sector across West and Central Africa.
Oyetola made the call on Monday in Monrovia, Liberia, while speaking at the National Fisheries Investment Conference held from March 30 to 31, 2026. The conference, declared open by Liberia’s President, Joseph Nyuma Boakai, brought together ministers responsible for fisheries and aquaculture from across the subregion.
In a statement on Tuesday, he Described the gathering as timely, the minister said it offered a critical platform to address longstanding structural challenges in the sector while advancing opportunities within the broader blue economy.
“This Conference comes at a critical time for our region,” Oyetola said, noting that fisheries and aquaculture remain central to food security, job creation and economic growth across West and Central Africa.
He, however, warned that despite the region’s vast marine and inland water resources, the sector continues to grapple with declining fish stocks, weak infrastructure, and limited access to finance and modern technology.
“Despite our rich marine and inland water resources, the sector continues to face significant challenges,” he said.
Oyetola emphasised that addressing these constraints requires a deliberate focus on sustainability, increased investment and stronger regional collaboration, stressing that long-term benefits would be difficult to achieve without proper resource management.
“Our oceans, rivers, and coastal ecosystems must be carefully managed… without sustainability, long-term benefits cannot be achieved,” he stated.
The minister also highlighted the transboundary nature of fish stocks, noting that no single country can effectively tackle illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing in isolation.
“No single country can tackle illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing alone,” he added, calling for deeper collaboration through regional institutions.
In his capacity as Chairman of the Fisheries Committee for the West Central Gulf of Guinea (FCWC), Oyetola reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to strengthening joint fisheries governance. He cited ongoing initiatives such as a regional register of fishing vessels, coordinated patrols and enhanced information-sharing systems aimed at improving enforcement and sustainability.
On investment, the minister urged stakeholders to channel funding across the fisheries value chain, including aquaculture, processing, cold-chain logistics and export development.
According to him, targeted investments could significantly boost employment, particularly among young people, while enhancing regional trade.
The renewed push for regional cooperation and investment comes amid growing concerns over the sustainability and productivity of the fisheries sector in West and Central Africa. The region, despite its rich aquatic resources, has continued to face mounting pressure from overfishing, illegal fishing activities and inadequate infrastructure.
In Nigeria, successive governments have introduced reforms aimed at repositioning the fisheries and aquaculture subsector as a key component of the broader blue economy. Under the current administration, the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy has prioritised policies to boost local fish production, reduce import dependence and strengthen regulatory frameworks.
These efforts, according to Oyetola, are already yielding results, including sustained access to international markets for Nigerian shrimp exports.
He also pointed to wider reforms in the maritime space, including measures to curb marine pollution, improve port infrastructure and enhance maritime security. Nigeria’s recent record of zero piracy incidents in the Gulf of Guinea, he said, has contributed to improving investor confidence in the region.
The minister disclosed that the FCWC is working to harmonise fisheries policies among member states and promote intra-regional trade, with the aim of strengthening value chains and attracting investment into the sector.