Nigeria’s fishing industry requires coordinated intervention across infrastructure, regulation, industrial production, research, skills development and human capital to unlock its potential for food security, employment and economic growth.
This will form part of the focus of the Maritime Correspondents’ Organisation of Nigeria (MARCON) Conference on Sustainable Fishing in Nigeria, scheduled for Wednesday, September 30, 2026, at Rockview Hotel, Apapa, Lagos.
With the theme, “Sustainable Fishing in Nigeria: Pathways to Growth, Food Security and Coastal Livelihoods,” the conference will bring together key institutions across the fisheries and maritime sectors to examine the challenges limiting the growth of the industry and identify practical pathways for sustainable development.
The breadth of the issues to be examined is reflected in the topics to br presented at the conference, covering port infrastructure and logistics, industrial fishing, fisheries value chains, maritime regulation, port economic regulation, marine science, skills development and human capital.
The Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority, Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho, will examine “The Role of Port Infrastructure and Maritime Logistics in Advancing Sustainable Fishing in Nigeria,” highlighting the importance of efficient maritime infrastructure and logistics to the development of the fishing industry.
The President of the Nigerian Trawlers Owners Association will present a paper on “Revitalising Nigeria’s Industrial Fishing Sector for Food Security and Economic Growth,” focusing on the role of industrial fishing in strengthening domestic production and contributing to food security.
Similarly, the Honourable Commissioner, Lagos State Ministry of Agriculture and Food Systems Ms. Ruth Abisola Olusanya will address “Building a Sustainable Fisheries Value Chain for Food Security and Coastal Livelihoods in Lagos State,” bringing the discussion to the development of fisheries value chains and their impact on food security and coastal communities.
Also, the Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, Dr. Dayo Mobereola, will examine “Protecting Nigeria’s Marine Resources: The Role of Maritime Regulation in Sustainable Fisheries Development,” placing marine-resource protection and regulatory oversight at the centre of sustainable fisheries development.
On his part, the Director-General of the Nigerian Ports Economic Regulatory Agency, Dr. Pius Akutah, will present “Port Economic Regulation as a Catalyst for Sustainable Fishing and Blue-Economy Development in Nigeria,” examining the regulatory dimension of port operations and their relationship with the wider blue economy.
The Director of the International Ocean Institute — Nigeria Centre, Nigerian Institute for Oceanography and Marine Research, Mr. Akanbi Bamikole Williams, will address “Marine Science and Sustainable Fisheries Development in Nigeria: Bridging Research, Policy and Practice,” focusing on the role of research and scientific knowledge in shaping sustainable fisheries policy.
The Provost of the Federal College of Fisheries and Marine Technology, Dr. Paul Chukwudi Onuoha, will present “Strategies for Building Capacity for Sustainable Fisheries and Aquaculture in Nigeria,” with emphasis on skills and institutional capacity required to support the sector.
The President-General of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria, Comrade Francis Bunu Abi, will examine “Human Capital: Strengthening the Workforce for Sustainable Fishing in Nigeria,” highlighting the importance of a skilled and capable workforce to the industry’s development.
The conference will be chaired by MARCON patron, High Chief Tochukwu Ezisi, President of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF).
Chairman of the Conference Planning Committee, Paul Ogbuokiri, said the conference is designed to bring the different components of the fisheries and maritime sectors into one conversation.
Ogbuokiri said the participation of regulators, industry operators, researchers, training institutions, labour representatives and other stakeholders would provide an opportunity to examine the fishing industry from production through logistics, regulation, human capital and market development.
He said MARCON expects the discussions to generate practical ideas and stronger collaboration among stakeholders towards addressing the challenges facing Nigeria’s fishing industry.
MARCON said the conference is part of its efforts to promote informed public discourse on issues affecting Nigeria’s maritime industry and encourage stakeholder engagement towards the sustainable development of the country’s fisheries sector.
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