The article discusses how Nigeria's imports of frozen fish and seafood have significantly increased by 19.54% each year from 2023 to 2025. According to Mr. Thaddeus Christopher Udofia, the Director-General of the International Maritime Institute of Nigeria, the country imported $606 million worth of seafood in 2023, which grew to $688.5 million in 2024, and reached $866 million in 2025. Despite having rich fishing resources in its waters, Nigeria is still one of Africa's largest seafood importers. This situation is attributed to problems like overfishing, climate change, and illegal fishing practices. Additionally, foreign fishing trawlers are accused of damaging local fish stocks, which affects food security and the livelihoods of local fishermen. To tackle these issues, Udofia proposed a strategic plan that includes better regulations, improved fisheries management, investment in technology, and support for local fishing communities. He emphasized the need for Nigeria to shift from relying on wild fish catches to developing aquaculture, which is farming fish in controlled environments, to meet the country's seafood needs.
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