The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), in partnership with the Taenprowiz Production Partnership Centre, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University (COOU), select cooperatives and the Anambra State Government, has launched a youth empowerment initiative targeted at transforming the fish production business across West Africa.
The programme is designed to train 200 young people in Anambra State on the Taenprowiz Fish Production Business System and Technology. It was officially inaugurated during the induction ceremony of the ECOWAS Youth Employability Programme 2.0, which took place at the COOU ETF Auditorium in Igbariam, where participants, community members and senior officials gathered to witness the event.
Speaking at the ceremony, Mr. Emeka Iloghalu, Coordinator of the Taenprowiz Production Business System and Technology Partnership Centre in Anambra and Managing Director of the Fisheries and Aquaculture Business Development Agency (FABDA), praised the partnership between ECOWAS and the state government. He described the programme as a timely intervention that will help reduce youth restiveness, strengthen job creation and support the growth of aquaculture entrepreneurship in the state and the wider region. He said the initiative is designed to give young people practical skills that will enable them to play important roles in the expanding fish production industry.
Iloghalu explained that the Taenprowiz Fish Production Business System and Technology introduces an integrated and technology-enabled approach that is focused on improving yields, reducing losses and standardizing fish production processes for both small and large-scale farmers. According to him, the system uses modern aquaculture business science, data-driven management tools and automated monitoring solutions to tackle recurring problems such as high fish mortality, inconsistent feeding and poor water quality. He noted that these issues often weaken productivity and discourage young entrepreneurs from investing in aquaculture.
He added that the model places particular emphasis on capacity-building and sustainability through training that covers effective production techniques, standard operating procedures and environmentally friendly practices aimed at reducing waste and preventing disease outbreaks. He noted that the system also enhances the aquaculture value chain by improving post-harvest handling, processing and market access strategies for farmers. “With its focus on resilience and innovation, the Taenprowiz Fish Production Business System is becoming a transformative blueprint for food security and aquaculture entrepreneurship across emerging markets,” he said.
The 200 participants selected for the programme have already completed more than two months of preliminary engagement and will continue with hands-on training as the initiative progresses. According to Iloghalu, graduates of the programme will be equipped to contribute in three main ways: as professional workers in the aquaculture industry, as cooperative members with practical skills instead of beginner-level knowledge, and as informed investors who can assess viable fish production ventures. “You have a bright future. With the support of Anambra State and ECOWAS, you will have no limits,” he told the new inductees, encouraging them to take the training seriously.
Iloghalu also commended the team led by Prof. Jude Obi and the West African Secretariat of Ecological Organic Agriculture (WASEOA) for coordinating similar training sessions across Benin Republic, Togo, Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire, Liberia and Nigeria. He said the simultaneous rollouts highlight the regional importance of the initiative and its goal of strengthening youth participation in agriculture across West Africa.
Representing the Anambra State Commissioner for Youth Development, Hon. Patrick Aghamba, Mr. Kingsley Ezelagba encouraged the participants to stay committed to the training. He highlighted the efforts of Governor Chukwuma Soludo in youth development and recalled that the administration has empowered more than 8,000 young people under the One Youth, Two Skills scheme. He said the ECOWAS-Taenprowiz initiative adds another opportunity for youths to gain valuable skills that can improve their economic prospects.
The President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr. Omar Alieu Toure, represented by Prof. Jude Obi, said the project is part of ECOWAS’s larger strategy to improve youth employment in agriculture, agro-forestry and fisheries. He expressed concern that more than 75 percent of young people in the region remain unemployed and said the initiative represents a meaningful step toward addressing the issue. He added that the ten best trainees among the 1,280 youths enrolled across six West African countries will receive special awards for excellence.
In her remarks, COOU Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Kate Omenugha, praised ECOWAS and Taenprowiz for investing in agricultural development and food security. She reaffirmed the university’s dedication to supporting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal of Zero Hunger. She also highlighted the university’s Healthy Living Farm as a model for organic farming, sustainability and hands-on agricultural learning for young people.
Also speaking at the event, the Director of the Centre for Entrepreneurial Studies at COOU, Prof. Onyechi Uzoka, encouraged the youths to adopt innovative ideas, apply their new skills and make use of mentorship opportunities available through the programme. He said he is confident that the initiative will help position Anambra State as a major fish production centre in Nigeria and eventually in West Africa as more trained youths enter the sector.
The high point of the event was the formal induction of 200 youths into the Taenprowiz Fish Production Business System. The induction was conducted by the Coordinator of ECOWAS/WASEOA Nigeria, Mr. Gbadamosi R. Oyewole, who urged the participants to maximise the opportunity and commit to building successful careers in aquaculture.
