Oyetola advocates strategic partnership with Agricultural Research Council to boost aquatic industry
The Honourable Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Dr. Adegboyega Oyetola, has called for a strengthened collaboration with the Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria (ARCN) to drive sustainable growth in the nation’s aquatic sector.
Oyetola made the call when ARCN Executive Secretary, Dr. Abubakar Dabban, paid him a courtesy visit in his office in Abuja
According to a statement by the Ministry’s Director of Information and Public Relations, Anastasia Ogbonna, he highlighted a significant structural shift in the sector, with supervision of fisheries-related research Institutes and Colleges now under the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy.
The realignment follows the previous transfer of the Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture to the Ministry, with Marine and Blue Economy now holding the primary supervisory mandate for seamless sectoral alignment, effective oversight, and knowledge continuity.
The Minister proposed joint initiatives with ARCN focusing on climate resilience, capacity building, youth and women empowerment, leveraging the Research Council’s decades of experience in managing national research systems.
“ARCN’s expertise remains vital. We seek a seamless link between research, policy, and industry application to ensure food security and sustainable resource management,” Oyetola stated.
Responding, ARCN Executive Secretary, Dr. Abubakar Dabban, lauded the creation of the Ministry as a visionary step toward economic diversification. He emphasized that Nigeria’s marine biotechnology and aquaculture potential require a foundation of rigorous scientific evidence
Dabban pledged the Council’s research network to support the Ministry’s framework and presented a formal partnership proposal aimed at ensuring the government’s maritime goals are met with science-driven precision
