A coalition of aquaculture professionals under the aegis of National Aquaculture Professionals Alliance (NAPA) has welcomed the appointment of Yazeed Shehu Danfulani as the new Managing Director of the Nigerian Agricultural Insurance Corporation (NAIC), but with a clear message: it must not be business as usual.
In a statement signed by its President, Engr. Ibrahim Ayotola Bamidele, the group applauded President Bola Tinubu for what it described as a “strategic choice”.
But while NAPA acknowledged the appointment as a potential turning point, it stressed that farmers are tired of symbolic appointments that fail to deliver results on the ground.
“For years, fish farmers have suffered in silence—plagued by floods, disease outbreaks, and unpredictable production costs—with little to no insurance support,” Bamidele said.
“Mr. Danfulani’s appointment is a moment of renewed hope, but it must lead to action.”
The group pointed out that NAIC, despite its mandate, has remained distant from everyday farmers, especially smallholder aquaculture operators who form the backbone of Nigeria’s protein supply chain.
“The truth is, NAIC has been largely invisible to grassroots farmers. This is the time to change that,” Bamidele stated, calling on Danfulani to break from the past and usher in a new era of practical insurance schemes that are accessible, affordable, and timely.
He argued that Danfulani’s background in finance, agriculture, and enterprise development gives him an edge — but only if it’s matched with the political will to reform NAIC into a truly farmer-focused institution.
According to Bamidele, the sector has the potential to contribute significantly to food security, foreign exchange earnings, and employment if it is properly supported with risk mitigation tools like insurance.
“The reason many young Nigerians avoid agriculture is because of the risks. But if NAIC is repositioned under Danfulani to offer responsive insurance schemes and timely payouts, more people will be willing to invest in farming,” Bamidele noted.
The group called on the new NAIC leadership to prioritise stakeholder engagement and bridge the existing gap between the agency and farmers at the grassroots.
“We urge Mr. Danfulani to work closely with associations like ours. Let NAIC move from being a name on paper to being a visible support system for farmers across Nigeria. Organise sensitisation drives. Meet us where we are — in hatcheries, ponds, and markets,” the group said.
Bamidele also appealed to the Federal Government to back Danfulani’s leadership with the needed policy and budgetary support to deliver on the Renewed Hope Agenda in agriculture.
“The agricultural sector is key to the Tinubu administration’s diversification agenda. We urge Mr. President to give NAIC and its new leadership the resources, legal backing, and institutional support required to succeed.”
“We don’t need more press releases. We need action. Organise town halls, visit our hatcheries and ponds, show farmers that NAIC is not just a name on paper,” the statement read.
The association pledged its readiness to support the agency’s efforts through collaboration, data sharing, and awareness campaigns to encourage more farmers to embrace agricultural insurance.
“This appointment means nothing if we don’t take advantage of it. We are ready to partner with NAIC to sensitise our members and ensure that the benefits of insurance are felt across the sector,” Bamidele stated.
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