The Norwegian Ambassador to Nigeria, Svein Baera, has called on President Bola Tinubu to add stockfish to the list of food items benefiting from a 150-day duty-free window. Baera believes that such a move could help mitigate the rising food inflation in Nigeria, making the essential protein source more affordable for Nigerian families.
Currently, the Nigerian government’s zero-duty import basket includes staple items such as maize, husked brown rice, wheat, and cowpeas. Baera is advocating for stockfish, a protein that plays a crucial role in the diet of many Nigerians, particularly the country’s poorer populations. He argues that by exempting stockfish from import duties, the government can make it more accessible to households struggling with rising food costs.
“We believe stockfish should be affordable for every Nigerian family,” Baera said during his visit to the Oyingbo Stock Fish Market in Ebute Metta. “To achieve this, we’ve proposed its inclusion in the Federal Government’s duty-free list.”
Abiodun Oritsejemine Cheke, a Fisheries Consultant at the Norwegian Seafood Council in Nigeria, supported Baera’s appeal, citing stockfish as one of the most cost-effective sources of protein in the country. “Stockfish head is arguably the cheapest protein in Nigeria today,” Cheke remarked, stressing that its affordability makes it an important part of many Nigerian households’ diets.
The Norwegian government, through the Norwegian Seafood Council, has already taken steps to reduce the cost of stockfish for Nigerian importers and distributors. However, both Baera and Cheke are pushing for a more permanent solution in the form of a duty waiver that would ensure the continued affordability of stockfish for Nigerian consumers.
Christian Chramer, CEO of the Norwegian Seafood Council, acknowledged the fluctuations in global seafood markets but reassured that Norway remains committed to meeting Nigeria’s stockfish demands. He noted that while factors such as supply and demand impact pricing, the goal is to ensure a stable supply of stockfish to the Nigerian market.
Beyond price reduction, Norway is also focused on building Nigeria’s capacity in fisheries and aquaculture, with the aim of boosting local production. These efforts could eventually allow Nigeria to not only meet its domestic seafood needs but also explore opportunities to export high-quality fish products to international markets.
Dr. Sunil Siriwardena, the WorldFish Country Representative in Nigeria, highlighted the critical role fish plays in the country’s food security and poverty alleviation strategies. Despite the importance of fish in the Nigerian diet, per capita fish consumption in the country remains low, at just 11.2 kilograms annually. To address this gap, Nigeria depends heavily on imported fish to meet demand.
