The Convener of the Africa Blue Economy Roundtable (ABER), Dr. Piriye Kiyaramo, has called on governors of Nigeria’s littoral states to align their policies with the African Union’s Policy Framework and Reform Strategy for Fisheries and Aquaculture (PFRS) to unlock the vast economic potential of the nation’s marine and aquatic resources.
Speaking with journalists in Yenagoa at the weekend, Kiyaramo said strategic investment in fisheries and aquaculture remains essential for achieving sustainable development, enhancing food security, creating employment opportunities, and building climate resilience across coastal communities.
He described the PFRS as a comprehensive roadmap capable of transforming fisheries and aquaculture into major drivers of economic growth and social development.
“The PFRS provides a clear roadmap to transform fisheries and aquaculture into engines of food security, employment and climate resilience,” he said.
Kiyaramo noted that governors in the South-South and other coastal states are strategically positioned to harness the enormous potential of the region’s oceans, rivers, estuaries and coastal ecosystems to drive economic transformation.
According to him, such efforts would also strengthen Nigeria’s commitment to the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) and the country’s National Blue Economy Agenda.
He urged state governments to prioritise policies that support artisanal fishers, women and coastal communities while integrating blue economy investments into their development plans.
The ABER convener also commended the Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Douye Diri, for his commitment to advancing Nigeria’s blue economy, describing Bayelsa as a leading example for other coastal states.
He explained that the African Union adopted the PFRS in 2014 as a continental strategy for the sustainable development of fisheries and aquaculture, recognising the sector as a critical pillar of agriculture under the CAADP and the Malabo Declaration.
According to Kiyaramo, the framework promotes science-based management to eliminate overfishing and illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing while encouraging increased fish production to combat hunger and improve nutrition across Africa.
He added that the policy supports artisanal fishers, particularly women and youths, promotes intra-African fish trade under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), and encourages climate adaptation as well as environmental protection in coastal communities.
Kiyaramo further noted that integrating fisheries into broader agricultural development strategies would help states attain the CAADP target of six per cent annual agricultural GDP growth, reduce post-harvest losses, strengthen food systems and generate sustainable employment.
Highlighting the comparative advantage of the South-South region, he said it accounts for more than 60 per cent of Nigeria’s coastline and possesses vast estuaries, mangrove forests and inland waterways capable of driving economic diversification.
He therefore urged governors to allocate at least 10 per cent of their agricultural budgets to fisheries and aquaculture development, with investments directed towards aquaculture production, fish processing, cold-chain infrastructure and marine tourism.
He also advocated the formalisation of fishing communities, stronger measures against illegal fishing, and increased investment in climate-resilient infrastructure, particularly for women in coastal communities.
According to him, such initiatives would reduce poverty, discourage rural-urban migration, create sustainable livelihoods and advance Nigeria’s National Blue Economy Roadmap and climate commitments.
Summing up his appeal, Kiyaramo said: “Treat the ocean like farmland. Manage it, invest in it, and protect the people who depend on it, just as the PFRS and CAADP recommend.”
