NDBDA Secures 100 Hectares for Major Fish Industrial Hub in BayelsaThe Niger Delta Basin Development Authority (NDBDA) has secured 100 hectares of land in Nembe, Bayelsa State, for a proposed integrated fish trawling and value-chain industrial hub.The project will be developed through a Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) Public-Private Partnership with Bilsha Nigeria Limited to boost industrialisation, food security and the blue economy.NDBDA Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Prince Ebitimi Amgbare, disclosed this during a meeting with officials of the Bayelsa Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, Bilsha Nigeria Ltd. and representatives of Nembe Kingdom.Amgbare said discussions on the project began in August 2024, progressing through feasibility studies, survey planning and the inauguration of a Joint Technical Team.He said the BOT model was adopted to ensure technology transfer, transparency and the long-term sustainability of the project.According to him, the acquisition of the land has positioned the project to attract international investment and facilitate immediate site mobilisation.He said the community had completed beaconing and technical mapping of the site, while issuance of a Certificate of Occupancy remained the final requirement before construction begins.Amgbare said the industrial complex would include a modern fish trawling jetty, vessel maintenance slipway, fish processing and packaging facilities, cold storage and logistics infrastructure.Other planned facilities include carton and nylon manufacturing plants, smart housing units for workers, truck parks and integrated distribution services.He said the project would create thousands of direct and indirect jobs in fishing, processing, logistics, administration and security.Amgbare added that apprenticeship and skills development programmes would strengthen local capacity in marine operations, manufacturing and logistics.He said the project would reduce Nigeria’s dependence on imported fish, conserve foreign exchange and expand non-oil exports.According to him, the initiative will generate revenue, strengthen the non-oil economy and contribute significantly to national economic growth.”We are seeking the Bayelsa State Government’s support to fast-track the issuance of the Certificate of Occupancy for immediate project take-off,” he said.Head of Public-Private Partnership at NDBDA, Dr. Sandra Tamuno, described the initiative as a shift from resource extraction to industrial production and value addition.Tamuno said the project would improve affordable protein supply, create sustainable jobs for youths and position the Niger Delta as a leading blue economy and manufacturing hub.Bayelsa Commissioner for Marine and Blue Economy expressed the state’s readiness to collaborate with NDBDA to accelerate implementation.She said the ministry welcomed initiatives that aligned with Governor Douye Diri’s vision of harnessing Bayelsa’s marine resources for economic development.Managing Director of Bilsha Nigeria Ltd., Maj. Bilyaminu Musa Mohammed (Rtd), said funding had been secured and assured that the company was ready to commence work.Representing the Mingi of Nembe, King Edmund Daukoru, Chief Jude Pulemote said the community had completed the survey of the 100-hectare site.Pulemote also pledged that Nembe Kingdom would provide additional land if required to support the project’s future expansion.
NDBDA Secures 100 Hectares for Major Fish Industrial Hub in Bayelsa
