Norway and Nigeria have renewed their commitment to strengthening cooperation in seafood trade, aquaculture, fisheries management and the development of Nigeria’s fish farming industry.
The stakeholders made this known at an interactive seminar on stockfish, seafood and aquaculture, organised for stakeholders and regulatory authorities involved in seafood and aquaculture imports, exports and trade in Nigeria.
The seminar brought together Norwegian seafood exporters, Nigerian importers, fish farmers, fisheries consultants, regulators and representatives of relevant government agencies.
The Norwegian Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Svein Baera, said the seminar was focused on strengthening the long-standing stockfish trade between both countries while promoting knowledge exchange in aquaculture.
Baera said Norwegian stockfish had been a household product in Nigeria for more than 100 years, adding that both countries also shared common interests in aquaculture.
He said Norway was interested in sharing its experience in fish farming to help Nigeria develop an industry capable of contributing to food security, employment and economic growth.
“Norway and Nigeria have been partners since 1960. We build this business partnership on many years of political and economic partnership.
“Also within oil and gas, Nigeria and Norway have a lot of things in common, so we find it easy to work together between Norway and Nigeria, also when it comes to seafood and fish farming,” he said.
The ambassador said Norwegian experts at the seminar included representatives with experience in fish farming, adding that Nigerian fish farmers could benefit from the knowledge and expertise shared.
He said the objective was to help Nigerian practitioners increase production, improve income and create more jobs while ensuring adequate supply of fish in the Nigerian market.
Also speaking, Mr Jonny Haaberg, Director for Africa and Middle – East, Norwegian Seafood Council, said Nigeria had remained an important market for Norwegian stockfish and other seafood products.
Haaberg said the long-standing trade had created strong commercial and cultural connections between the two countries.
He said Norway also recognised Nigeria’s need to increase domestic seafood production through aquaculture.
According to him, Norway has accumulated considerable knowledge from decades of developing its aquaculture industry and is willing to share such knowledge with Nigeria.
“It’s part of the thinking about that business is basically partnership over time. So if you develop, we develop.
“I think it’s giving and taking. So for us to have this trade with Nigeria, it’s important that we look upon ourselves as partners in this development,” he said.
Haaberg said Norway, despite being a major seafood exporter, also imported products it could not produce locally, noting that there was room for both countries to benefit from continued seafood trade.
He attributed a previous decline in seafood trade between the two countries partly to the COVID-19 pandemic and economic challenges.
He said the relative stability of the naira in recent times was beneficial to both exporters and importers because it provided greater certainty for business planning.
Mr Ole Olsen, Chief Executive Officer of SUFI Premium Seafood, a Norwegian exporter of stockfish products to Nigeria, described Nigeria as a major market for his company.
Olsen said Nigeria and Italy were traditionally the major markets for Norwegian stockfish products, adding that many of the products exported to Nigeria were particularly popular among Nigerian consumers.
He said his company had been exporting to Nigeria for many years and regarded the country as a key market.
According to him, SUFI exports between 50 million and 100 million Norwegian kroner worth of products to Nigeria annually, equivalent to about five million to 10 million dollars.
“For us as a company, that makes it very, very important, especially considering that a lot of the products we are selling to Nigeria are not sold to other markets,” he said.
Olsen said the sharp increase in raw-material prices in the previous year had created difficulties for exporters and importers.
He, however, said the situation appeared to be stabilising, noting that the stability of the naira and raw-material supply could help prevent further significant increases in prices.
He said Norwegian exporters were also working to improve the quality of stockfish products supplied to the Nigerian market.
Olsen expressed optimism that improved quality and stable prices would benefit both exporters and Nigerian importers.
Ms Abiodun Oritsejemine Cheke, Fisheries Consultant to the Norwegian Seafood Council in Nigeria and coordinator of the seminar, said the meeting was aimed at supporting the development of Nigeria’s aquaculture sector and improving access to international markets for Nigerian fish products.
Cheke said Norway had previously supported training for Nigerian government regulatory authorities and aquaculture practitioners.
She said the training included farm visits and focused on improving practices required for Nigerian aquaculture products to meet international standards.
According to her, the latest seminar was designed to review progress and identify ways of facilitating greater access for Nigerian aquaculture products to international markets.
“The Norwegian government is trying to assist Nigeria to vacate the ban on Nigeria’s fish farm products in the international market,” she said.
Cheke said the meeting also provided an opportunity for Nigerian stakeholders to understand regulatory requirements governing seafood imports and exports.
She said representatives of the WorldFish, fisheries authorities and the Nigeria Customs Service were among those expected to provide information on relevant guidelines.
“We don’t cut corners and we don’t like our customers to cut corners or break the laws of Nigeria,” she said.
Cheke said improved compliance, fish-health management and sustainable production could help Nigerian aquaculture practitioners gain greater acceptance in international markets.
She noted that increased access to international markets could encourage greater investment in aquaculture and fish processing, create jobs and increase government revenue from legitimate import and export activities.
She said the development of the sector could ultimately contribute to Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product.
The seminar also featured presentations on new seafood products and opportunities for diversifying the Nigerian market.
Olsen also showcased his company’s products made from cod by-products, including canned cod heads, cod liver and cod swim bladders.
The company said the canned cod head had a shelf life of up to four years and could be used in soups and stews as a convenience product.
The company said the products were being presented to Nigerian stakeholders for market feedback and assessment of their suitability for local consumers.
The stakeholders agreed that continued dialogue among governments, regulators, seafood businesses, importers, exporters and aquaculture practitioners was necessary to strengthen the seafood value chain between Nigeria and Norway.
