NABDA boss says Nigeria produces 1.1mmt of fish annually, consume 3.2mt

Lucy Ogbadu, Director-General, National Biotechnology Development Agency (NABDA), has revealed that Nigeria produces a paltry 1.1 million metric tons of fish annually but consumes about 3.2 million metric tons annually.

This leaves a huge gap of two million tons in the supply of fish and fish products.

Ogbadu spoke at the graduation ceremony of 38 females who received training on fish spawning and breeding in Kano on Wednesday.

The training was conducted by the agency in collaboration with the Bayero University Centre for Dryland Agriculture.

The DG who was represented by Kabiru Yusuf, the Kano State Coordinator of NABDA, said in 2014 alone, Nigeria imported 8,000 metric tons of fish thereby employing foreign producers to feed Nigerians thus depleting our hard-earned resources and foreign exchange.

“The gap in the supply of fish in the country is enormous,” Ogbadu said.

She said the training was designed to build capacity of the beneficiaries in fish spawning, breeding and entrepreneurship.

She called on them to make the best use of the training to contribute in feeding the country with fresh and clean fish.

In his remarks, a lecturer at the Department of Dryland Agriculture, Sanusi Gaya, said that the department would continue to collaborate with groups and individuals who were ready to learn skills on agriculture.