The Lagos State Government is upgrading its fisheries and aquaculture database to align with international standards set by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the European Union (EU), as part of efforts to enhance transparency, strengthen planning, and support fishery-based SMEs.
Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Systems, Ms. Abisola Olusanya, said the improved system will boost data accuracy, support sustainable management of fish resources, and position Lagos aquaculture enterprises for global competitiveness.
According to her, the upgrade will harmonize fisheries data across local associations, traditional fishing communities, and monitoring teams to ensure consistency and reliability. “Our goal is to build a living database that reflects real-time activities in the sector and supports SMEs to access export opportunities,” she said.
Olusanya explained that Lagos, which contributes significantly to Nigeria’s aquaculture output, aims to integrate modern traceability and compliance tools into its fisheries data framework to meet international market requirements.
She added that the government’s regular field surveys and data verification will help identify growth opportunities for smallholder fish farmers and improve their access to finance, inputs, and markets.
“Fisheries remain one of the most important sectors in Lagos’ economy and culture. This initiative ensures that our fishery SMEs can compete effectively in the global value chain,” she stated.
