The Lagos State Government has embarked on an ambitious N10 billion aquaculture centre to significantly boost fish production and meet the ever-growing protein demand in Africa’s most populous nation.
The project, which is a Public-Private Partnership between the state government and Dula Agro-Services Limited and is located on 35 hectares of Land in Epe, will reinforce Lagos’s food security strategy.
Speaking at the centre during a recent media tour, Abisola Olusanya, commissioner of Agriculture and Food Systems, revealed that the aquaculture centre will serve as an off-taker for fish farmers in the state.
“The Lagos Aquaculture Centre for Excellence is going to be a production facility for fish fingerlings, processing, and serve as an offtake facility for all fish farmers we have in Lagos,” she said during the tour.
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“This facility will handle processing, upward distribution and marketing for fish production in Lagos State.”
Olusanya added that Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu intends to make fish affordable for Lagosians with this Public-Private Partnership (PPP).
“It’s a partnership with the private sector, Dula Agro and the Lagos State Government. It’s situated on 35 hectares of land. There’s a road between the facility. You have about 12 hectares on this side, and about 23 hectares on the side of the road,” she explained.
She disclosed that the LACE will be commissioned in the third quarter of 2026 at Igbonla community in Epe, where it is sited.
Explaining the reason behind the project, she said Lagos is surrounded by many fish farmers and young people who would like to upscale, but a lack of offtakers is posing as a limiting factor.
According to her, therefore, “they end up having to sell their fish with minimal margins or with no margins at all, and that can be very discouraging. So, facilities like this, where price can be agreed before production with efficient off-taker arrangements and signed MoUs, I believe it would help to bolster our fishing businesses.”
Due to its abundant water resources, Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial hub, is uniquely positioned for aquaculture development.
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She noted that the project will position the state as a top exporter of quality fish, bolster food sustainability, and double food production.
Additionally, Ifedolapo Atinmo, chief executive officer of Dula Agro Services, said the site will host 10 ponds with water flowing from the Osun River, stressing that the quality of the water is trusted and healthy for fish cultivation.
“Before we settled on this particular site, we worked closely with the Lagos Ministry of Agriculture and visited about seven different locations,” he noted. “We tested the water samples, which flow all the way from the Osun River, and found that it is quality and perfect for our fish production.”
Atinmo explained that each of the 10 ponds will hold 72,000 fish, with a batch harvest capacity of an average of 60 to 65 tons.
“In terms of employment, this project should be able to produce about 250 direct jobs on our production side, while our feedmill processing unit will provide 150 jobs.”
He noted that at full functioning capacity, the LACE can contribute N50 million to Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), adding that so far, the state has spent an average of N10 billion on the project.
Echoing the words of Olusanya, Rotimi Erogbogbo, chairman of the board for LACE, said the project speaks of Lagos’ culture of wealth and sustainability creation.
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“The whole idea is to ensure that we can meet the fish requirements of Lagos State and indeed the entire country.”
Erogbogbo noted that for a country with vast arable land and water bodies, Nigeria has no business importing 70 percent of its fish needs.
“This presents a great opportunity for our youths, entrepreneurs, and farmers in Lagos. The reason many youths run away from agriculture is because they didn’t have good examples,” he said.
He showed enthusiasm about the project, noting that the arrangement will solve the issues farmers face with middlemen.
