The Niger Delta Basin Development Authority (NDBDA), under the visionary leadership of the Managing Director/CEO, Hon. Prince Ebitimi Amgbare, has secured 100 hectares of land from Nembe Community for the development of the Nembe Integrated Fish Trawling and Value-Add Industrial Project in Bayelsa State.
The landmark project, being delivered through a Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) Public Private Partnership (PPP) with Bilsha Nigeria Ltd., is designed to drive economic development, industrial growth, and food security across the Niger Delta in line with NDBDA’s 10-Year Roadmap on Blue Economy.
Hon. Prince Amgbare who disclosed this during a collaborative meeting with the Bayelsa Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, MD of Bilsha Nigeria Limited and representative of the Nembe Council of Chiefs on Monday, expressed NDBDA’s readiness partner Bayelsa State government to deliver to project on record time.
“Engagement on the project commenced in August 2024 and has progressed through key milestones, including initial familiarization, review of the feasibility study, survey plan and the inauguration of a Joint Technical Team.
“The BOT model was adopted to ensure technology transfer, transparency, and long-term sustainability for the project.
The securement of this land is the essential catalyst that will unlock international investment capital and trigger immediate site mobilization,” Hon. Amgbare stated.
The Community has concluded beaconing of the site with field engineering and technical mapping finalized to produce the definitive Survey Plan, adding that the issuance of a Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) in the name of NDBDA remains the final regulatory requirement to unlock the project.
Prince Amgbare explained that
the 100-hectare Nembe Integrated Industrial Complex is designed as a complete value-chain ecosystem including a Modern Fish Trawling jetty with berthing facilities and a Slipway for vessel maintenance and repair, State-of-the-art Fish Processing and Packaging Facility with a Large-scale Cold Room, Storage Facility, Carton Making Factory for product packaging and Nylon Making Factory for flexible packaging, standalone product lines, 25–50 Smart Housing Units for staff and Truck Parks and integrated logistics services for efficient distribution to local and international markets.
He said, apart from creating thousands of direct and indirect jobs in fishing, processing, logistics, administration, and security, there will be training and apprenticeship programs in marine operations, manufacturing, logistics, Jetty, access roads, power, and housing with positive spillover effects with a permanent industrial hub for long-term prosperity.
“It will reduce the dependence on imported fish, saving billions in foreign exchange annually, generate substantial revenue through taxes and improved NDBDA financial standing as a potential for export of processed fish and packaging materials and strengthen the non-oil sector and contributes to national GDP.
“The project is a paradigm shift for economic development in the Niger Delta, a commercially viable initiative with the potential to deliver unparalleled socio-economic benefits. We are here for a collaborative engagement with the Bayelsa State Government to fast-track the issuance of the “C of O” to enable full project take-off.
“We are at a critical juncture where our collective action can secure a legacy of prosperity, skills, and industrial growth for the Nembe people, Bayelsa State, the Niger Delta region, and Nigeria,” he said.
Describing the project as a shift from resource extraction to industrial production and value addition, Dr. (Mrs. Sandra Tamuno, Head, PPP-NDBDA, said the project will deliver a major hub for affordable protein supply across the region, providing legitimate youth employment to address a root cause of restiveness and position the Niger Delta as a leader in the blue economy, agribusiness and manufacturing.
The Bayelsa State Commissioner for Marine and Blue Economy in her remark, stated the ministry’s, willingness to collaborate with the NDBDA to ensure quick delivery of the project.
“The creation of the ministry of Marine and Blue Economy is a demonstration of the governor’s determination to explore our marine resources. Any proposal that aligns with ours is welcome.
“This meeting will create the platform for mutual understanding and collaboration with a view to exploring possible areas for collaboration and synergy. Today meeting is an explorative engagement,” she said.
Managing Director/CEO, Bilsha Nigeria Limited,
Maj. Bilyaminu Musa Mohammed (Rtd), assured that the funds for the project have been secured and expressed the company’s readiness to move to site for commencement of the project.
On his part, the representative of the Mingi of Nembe, His Eminence, King (Dr.) Edmund M. Daukoru (Mingi XII, Amanyanabo of Nembe Kingdom, at the meeting, Chief Jude Pulemote, said the community was satisfied with the mileage so far achieved, informing that the survey plan of the entire 100 hactares of land has been completed, while promising to make available additional hactares where the need arises.
