Onome Amuge
The United States is intensifying its agricultural partnership with Nigeria, backing initiatives to modernise fish farming while promoting American soybean exports into Africa’s most populous nation.
At a graduation ceremony in Abuja recently, the US Mission in Nigeria joined the American Soybean Association’s World Initiative for Soy in Human Health (ASA WISHH) and local agribusiness SejFarms Consult to mark the completion of the inaugural Next Gen Leaders for Aquaculture Innovation Programme. The initiative trained ten young Nigerians in modern aquaculture practices, including the use of soy-based feed, during a five-month course.
Chris Bielecki, the US Mission’s agricultural counsellor, said agriculture remained at the heart of the US-Nigeria commercial and investment partnership. He added that the adoption of innovative practices such as soy inclusion in feed was helping to build a resilient agricultural sector in Nigeria, ensuring long-term food security and economic stability.
Soymeal has become a major input in global aquaculture as producers look for protein sources that are cost-effective and scalable. Nigeria’s fish farming industry, which has grown rapidly over the past decade to help address protein deficits in local diets, is viewed as a promising market for US soy exports.
ASA WISHH and SejFarms used the occasion to renew their three-year collaboration with the signing of a memorandum of understanding aimed at boosting fish production capacity and youth participation in the industry.
Sejiro Michael Oke-Tojinu, managing director of SejFarms, described the agreement as a platform to expand technical training. “This MOU with the World Initiative for Soy in Human Health demonstrates that we are strengthening our commitment to encourage the growth of Nigerian aquaculture and create new opportunities for young people to be trained in aquaculture, including high-quality feeds,” he said.
Representatives of US soybean producers, who have increasingly targeted overseas growth markets, welcomed the partnership. Jamie Beyer, an ASA director and Minnesota soybean farmer, credited the US Foreign Agricultural Service with helping leverage resources to expand US-Nigeria agricultural trade. Nancy Kavazanjian, a Wisconsin soybean grower and member of ASA WISHH’s trade delegation to Nigeria, highlighted the programme as evidence of soy’s potential to strengthen the country’s fish farming value chain.
The US sees Nigeria as a pivotal market for its agricultural exports. Bilateral agricultural trade reached $429mn in 2024, according to US officials, with forecasts suggesting the figure could more than double in 2025. That momentum is partly driven by Nigeria’s structural food deficit and growing urban demand for affordable protein.
For Nigerian policymakers, aquaculture is also becoming a strategic industry. While domestic demand for fish exceeds 3mn tonnes annually, local production is less than half of that, forcing the country to rely on costly imports. Expanding fish farming capacity, alongside developing inputs such as feed, is viewed as essential to reducing that import bill while creating jobs.
Industry analysts note that partnerships with global suppliers such as the US soy sector could accelerate the transition to more intensive fish farming systems. But challenges remain, including infrastructure gaps, access to finance for smallholders and price volatility in international feed markets.
Despite these hurdles, the enthusiasm from both sides underscores the commercial and developmental potential. For US soybean farmers, Nigeria offers a growth outlet at a time when trade tensions and shifting consumption patterns are reshaping global demand. For Nigeria, leveraging American expertise could help address protein shortages and open new export opportunities in regional fish markets.
As Oke-Tojinu of SejFarms stated, “Aquaculture is not only about food, but also about creating livelihoods for Nigeria’s next generation. With the right partnerships, the sector can become a cornerstone of our economy.”
