Nigeria to invest US$219 million in aquaculture

Nigeria's government has earmarked NGN33 billion (US$218.5 million) for water, aquaculture and environmental management programmes.

The fund was part of the government's effort to reposition Nigeria's agricultural sector, said Dr Sayyadi Ruma, Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources.

He said the fund is also aimed at achieving an intensified aquaculture production system and sustainable conservation through construction of small dams and irrigation facilities as well as acquisition of carbon credit through afforestation.

Under the new arrangement, the government will target a production of two million tonnes of fish annually with an income of more than NGN1.7 trillion (US$11.26 billion).