They raise the fish, but can’t fix the price — and now Lagos farmers say the system is rigged against them.
Fish farmers in Lagos are pushing back against what they call an unfair pricing system, blaming middlemen for shrinking profits despite rising production costs.
The Lagos State Catfish Allied Farmers Association of Nigeria says marketers are calling the shots, leaving farmers with little control over how much their fish sells for.
Chairman Olatoye Fajimi says it’s a losing game: costs of feed, fuel, and operations keep climbing, but selling prices remain stubbornly low.
“The buyers just show up and dictate the price — and that’s the problem,” he said.
The ripple effect? Farmers struggle to break even, and banks are reluctant to offer loans after previous borrowers couldn’t repay due to poor returns.
Farmers have engaged the Lagos State Ministry of Agriculture and Food Systems, which is considering a buy-back arrangement — allowing government to purchase fish directly at agreed, profitable rates.
If implemented, the move could cut out middlemen and give farmers a fair shot.
For now, however, fish farmers say they’re stuck doing the heavy lifting while others decide their earnings.
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