- Founder and Chief Executive Officer of CRD Impex, Hanefi Cardak (left); Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Dr. Adegboyega Oyetola; and the CRD Impex General Manager, Fisheries, Cem Tarhan, during the Turkish team’s courtesy visit to the minister in Abuja recently
By Felix Iwebunor
As the drive for more investment in Nigeria’s marine and blue economy continues, the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Dr. Adegboyega Oyetola, has warned new and incoming big investors in the fisheries sector to strengthen, and not displace, the millions of Nigerians in artisanal fishing and related activities.
He listed inadequate infrastructure, limited access to modern fishing technology, processing and storage constraints, weak cold-chain systems and gaps in market access among the major challenges confronting Nigeria’s artisanal fisheries sector.
Nevertheless, Oyetola, who spoke in Abuja when he received a team of Turkish fishing investors, CRD Impex, led by Cem Tarhan, noted that the challenges also presented significant opportunities for investment, particularly in modernising the fisheries value chain and improving the productivity and livelihoods of local fish producers.
According to Oyetola, the government intends to transform these challenges into opportunities while ensuring that investments in the sector remain inclusive and sustainable.
Therefore, “we welcome investors who can bring capital, technology, expertise and modern value-chain solutions to the sector,” the Special Adviser, Dr Bolaji Akinola, quoted the minister as saying.
“However, investments must be inclusive and sustainable. It must complement and empower our artisanal fish producers, not undermine their livelihoods.”
For their part, CRD Impex said it was in Nigeria to explore investment opportunities in the fishing sector. Tarhan explained that the company had extensive experience in fisheries and aquaculture in Turkey and was interested in bringing its expertise and investment capacity to Nigeria.
As part of the engagement, the Turkish investors, accompanied by officials of the Nigerian ministry, visited several fisheries and aquaculture facilities across the country to assess investment opportunities and gain first-hand knowledge of the country’s fisheries value chain.
Among the facilities visited were the Kirikiri Lighter Terminal in Lagos, Ozumba Mbadiwe Fish Market in Lekki, Lagos, and Esuk Nsidung Beach Market, a major waterfront seafood and trading hub in Esiere Ebom, Henshaw Town in Calabar, Cross River State.
