The federal government of Nigeria may soon impose a complete ban on the importation of fish and other aquatic consumables, according to the country's minister of agriculture and rural development, Akinwumi Adesina.

Adesina made the announcement during the launch of the Special Growth Enhancement Support (GES) scheme for a Fisheries and Aquaculture value chain in Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria.

The ban would only be imposed, if arrangements, being put in place by the government, worked as planned, he said.

The minister stressed that Nigeria sees no reason to import fish given its huge natural and renewable resources. Hence, the ministry was promoting increased fish production through the Aquaculture Value Chain, in pursuance of the country's Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA). To protect the local fish farming sector, measures had also been implemented to curb illegal importation of fish.

The Aquaculture Value Chain, under a four- year implementation plan, is expected to raise the annual production of fingerlings in Nigeria by 1.25 billion tonnes and has already been included in the country's Growth Enhancement Support scheme for 2013.

Under the scheme, inputs, such as fish, would be distributed to Nigerian fish farmers.

"The Value Chains are to create an enabling environment for increased and sustainable production of over one million tonnes of fish within the next four years, generate employment and pursue gradual reduction of fish imports," Adesina explained.

He revealed that the plan would also produce 400,000 tonnes of fish feed, generate an additional 250,000 tonnes of table fish and 100,000 tonnes of value-added fish products.