For 50 unemployed Nigerian graduates, the prospect of a career is no longer confined to traditional office and classroom settings. This week, they began a five-day intensive training in aquaculture production, fish processing, and value addition at the Nigerian Institute of Oceanography and Marine Research (NIOMR).
The initiative, led by NIOMR’s Executive Director, Dr Gbolahan Akande, aims to turn participants into self-reliant entrepreneurs. Each trainee will receive a starter pack that includes juvenile catfish, feed, medication, plastic tanks, and smoking kits, alongside daily stipends and transport allowances to facilitate their participation.
“This programme is about creating employers of labour,” Dr Akande said, highlighting the broader goal of using aquaculture to boost national food security and economic growth. Certificates awarded at the end of the training will help participants access funding from institutions such as the Bank of Agriculture and the Bank of Industry.
For 25-year-old graduate, Tunde Adebayo, the training offers hope after months of unemployment. “I have applied to many jobs with no luck. This training gives me skills I can turn into a real business,” he said.
NIOMR plans to extend the programme to 150 graduates in the first quarter of 2026, with follow-up monitoring to ensure knowledge is translated into thriving local aquaculture ventures.
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