China-Nigeria fish trade agreement signing ceremony
✅ Big News: Nigeria and China have signed a new agreement opening China's market to Nigerian wild aquatic products.

Nigerian fish just got a new international opportunity, and this time, China is involved.

Nigeria and China have signed a new agreement that clears the way for Nigerian wild aquatic products to enter the Chinese market.

The protocol was signed on Thursday, August 13, 2026, in Abuja, at the Federal Ministry of Justice. Officials from Nigeria and China, the Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service (NAQS), fisheries stakeholders and development partners were all there for the big moment.

But this didn't happen overnight.

According to NAQS Comptroller General, Dr. Vincent Isegbe, Nigeria and China have spent more than four years working through the technical and quarantine requirements needed to get Nigerian wild aquatic products into China.

Basically, Nigerian exporters have been knocking on China's door for years. Now, the door has opened.

What This Agreement Means

The agreement sets out the quarantine requirements Nigerian exporters must meet before their wild aquatic products can enter the Chinese market. That means exporters now have a clearer regulatory pathway to take their products there.

And the potential payoff goes beyond selling more fish.

Benefits for Nigeria

The Federal Government says the agreement could support:

  • More value addition — Processing fish before export increases revenue
  • Job creation — New opportunities in fisheries and logistics
  • Strengthened fisheries value chain — From fishing to export
  • GDP contribution — Boosting Nigeria's non-oil exports

The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, represented at the ceremony by Mrs. Janet S. Awanen, said the protocol was negotiated and reviewed by Nigerian experts to ensure it aligns with Nigeria's laws and national interests.

Part of a Bigger Push

For NAQS, the deal is also part of the bigger push to grow Nigeria's non-oil exports.

So, after more than four years of negotiations, Nigerian aquatic products now have a new route into one of the world's biggest markets.

The fish have officially entered the international group chat.