Lagos Announces N10 Billion Public-Private Partnership to Establish an Aquaculture Center

Lagos Announces N10 Billion Public-Private Partnership to Establish an Aquaculture Center

The Lagos State government recently announced its intention to launch a N10 billion Public\Private Partnership (PPP) Aquaculture Centre of Excellence (LACE) in Igbonla, Epe. According to the Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the scheme is expected to stimulate Lagos state’s aquaculture industry and produce 2,000 tonnes of fish annually.

The Aquaculture Centre of Excellence will provide support to fish farmers through the Lagos Nucleus Farms scheme and serve as an off-take point for other aquaculture clusters around the state.

Beyond enabling food security, the state would promote agro-tourism in the state through the Lagos State Songhai Project in Badagry and the Agricultural Training Institute, Araga, Epe.

“The experience of the past few months during the lockdown occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic has further reinforced the urgent need to expand the state’s food production base to meet such a spontaneous increase in demand for food in the future. In line with this realization, and to ensure sustained food production and supply in the state, we are establishing Lagos Food Production Centers in Badagry and Epe. In addition, we are establishing the Lagos Aquaculture Centre of Excellence (LACE) N10 Billion project to be located on 35 hectares of land in Igbonla in Epe under a public\private partnership arrangement.” stated Governor Sanwo-Olu.

Nigeria is the largest aquaculture fish producer in sub-Saharan Africa, accounting for 52% of the total farmed fish production in the region. Nigeria’s aquaculture focuses mainly on freshwater fish, with catfish species accounting for 64% of aquaculture production.

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Nigerian Fisheries Sector

Fisheries is a major economic sector, estimated to employ over 8.6 million people directly and a further 19.6 million indirectly, 70% of whom are women.

The Nigerian fisheries sector is one of the most important sectors in Nigeria, both from an economic and social standpoint. This sector contributes significantly to the livelihood, employment, and household food security of the country.