ECOWAS-trained youths under the ECOWAS Youth Employability and Entrepreneurship initiative have signed a fish production franchise agreement aimed at boosting food security, youth employment and aquaculture output in Anambra State.
The agreement was signed between Elite Cooperative Society Limited and TeeMartins ICT Limited for the deployment of the TAENPROWIZ Fish Production Business System and Technology, a commercial aquaculture model designed to support industrial-scale fish production.
The signing ceremony took place in Awka, the Anambra State capital, with the Fisheries and Aquaculture Business Development Agency (FABDA) facilitating the partnership.
President of Elite Cooperative Society Limited, Mr. Chukwuma Onyekwe, signed on behalf of the cooperative, while the Managing Director of TeeMartins ICT Limited, Mr. Cosmas Ezenwanne, represented the franchisor.
Members of the cooperative are ‘beneficiaries of the ECOWAS Youth Training on TAENPROWIZ Table Fish Production Business programme conducted in 2023 and 2024.’
Under the agreement, the cooperative is expected to transition from small-scale fish farming to a more structured commercial production system driven by precision-based aquaculture technology.
Coordinator of the TAENPROWIZ Production Partnership Centre, Mr. Emeka Iloghalu, described the agreement as ‘a major step toward expanding aquaculture production and creating employment opportunities for youths in Anambra State and across the ECOWAS region.’
According to him, “the cooperative earned the franchise opportunity after demonstrating commitment and readiness for business following the training programme.”
He explained that the ECOWAS Youth Employability and Entrepreneurship initiative was designed to equip young people with practical fish production and business management skills.
Iloghalu said additional training was later organised in partnership with the Anambra State Ministry of Industry and the Office of the Director of Cooperatives to strengthen cooperative management and sustainability.
He noted that the programme produced six table fish production cooperatives, with Elite Cooperative Society Limited becoming the first to sign the franchise agreement.
“This contract enables them to operate professional fish production using modern technology and business structures,” he said.
Iloghalu added that Anambra State plans to increase fish production to achieve local sufficiency and support industrial demand in the long term.
On his part, President of Elite Cooperative Society Limited, Mr. Chukwuma Onyekwe described the agreement as a major milestone for members of the cooperative.
“It has been a challenging journey since we started, but we believe the system and technology will help us achieve our vision in commercial fish production,” he said.
Also speaking, the Managing Director of TeeMartins ICT Limited, Mr. Cosmas Ezenwanne, said the franchise model would improve efficiency and productivity through high-precision fish production technology.
He expressed optimism that more cooperatives would adopt the production system in the near future.
