Wema Bank partners fisheries cooperative to boost fish production

Wema Bank has partnered with the Fisheries Cooperatives Federation of Nigeria (FCFN) to strengthen fish production and improve the welfare of fish farmers across the country.

As part of the partnership, Wema Bank on Tuesday launched a membership registration, revalidation, and account opening campaign at Kado Fish Market in Abuja.

Alhaji Surajo Isa, Public Relations Officer of the federation, said the sensitisation exercise aims to attract more members to the cooperative. According to him, the federation currently has 11 million registered members and plans to add one million more by September.

He explained that under the collaboration, members will open accounts with Wema Bank while the bank captures their data. “The bank will build one market in each of the six geopolitical zones and provide health subsidies for all registered members,” Isa said.

The federation’s National President, Mohammed Alhaji Laminu, noted that the mobilisation campaign will move beyond Abuja to states such as Benue and Nasarawa in the coming weeks. He commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the ministries of Marine and Blue Economy, Livestock, and Agriculture and Food Security for supporting initiatives aimed at boosting food production. Laminu also praised Wema Bank and leaders of other cooperatives for their roles in the partnership.

Chairman of the Abuja Fresh Fish Sellers Association, Aminu Adam, said members are excited about the programme. “This collaboration will help us capture our members’ data and access financial assistance to grow our businesses,” he said. “Members will also benefit from training, while the union will contribute smoking kits, inputs, and other facilities needed to improve fish farming.”