Students of the Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture, University of Lagos (UNILAG), on Tuesday, September 23, 2025 gave a good account of themselves at the Nigeria Aquaculture Roadmap Conference by emerging winners of the maiden Student Research Pitch Competition.
The competition was part of activities lined up for the Nigeria Aquaculture Roadmap Conference which took place from Monday, September 22 to Thursday, September 25, 2025 at Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo Campus.
The Head, Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture, UNILAG, Professor Simeon Ayoola led the delegation of eight (8) final-year students who represented University at the conference. The students are:
- Shobowale Inumidun Precious
- Odunaiya Deborah
- Godday Esther
- Mukolu Ekene Munachi
- Ogunbekun Olaoluwa Olukoya
- Egbuna Chinelo
- Sheriff Safiyyah
- Ezinne Ogbu
The UNILAG team presented a project titled: “Enhancing Aquaculture Sustainability through Integrated Aquaponics: Productivity of African Catfish (Clarias gariepinus) and Vegetables in Recirculating Systems.”
The project which demonstrated Aquaponics as an innovative solution to feed costs, water management, and food security challenges won the team the star prize of ₦500,000 (five hundred thousand naira) research grant.
Beyond the competition, the team also participated in a vocational training session by Mosneri Foods, which exposed them to value addition through the production of catfish cookies.
The 2025 Nigeria Aquaculture Roadmap Conference which had the theme “Shaping the Future of Aquaculture in Nigeria,” was convened by the Lagos State Catfish and Allied Farmers Association (LASCAFAN). It was an assemblage of policymakers, researchers, innovators, and industry stakeholders who all converged to chart sustainable growth pathways for Nigeria’s aquaculture sector. The conference fostered networking among participating students from various institutions and stakeholders across Nigeria, as well as provided opportunities for the team to gain valuable insights from panel sessions on feed alternatives, climate-smart aquaculture, and the blue economy.
