FishLead Hub — Raising and Empowering the Next Generation of Aquaculture and Fisheries Leaders
Across Africa, fisheries and aquaculture are central to food and nutrition security, livelihoods, and the Blue Economy. Yet too many young people either don’t choose fisheries/aquaculture as a career, and when they eventually find themselves there by placement in a tertiary institution, many struggle to find motivation, direction, and purpose within the field. This has led to losing many of these young and brilliant minds to unrelated professions after graduation. Often not because they lack ability, but because they have never had clear exposure to the career paths, hands-on experience, mentorship, and networks that make a career in aquaculture and fisheries both viable and fulfilling.
FishLead Hub was founded to change that. Launched in July 2025 by Oke Ojo Pelumi and other team members, FishLead Hub is a youth-centred leadership community that connects students, recent graduates,s and early-career professionals with practical training, mentorship, career orientation, and industry networks, all designed to turn study into meaningful, long-term careers that advance aquaculture and fisheries in Africa.
Why FishLead Hub exists
The idea for the Hub came from a simple but telling observation: many students enter fisheries and aquaculture as a course of study without prior exposure or genuine interest; they graduate and move into other fields. That leakage reduces the pool of young talent available to modernize production, adopt innovations, and meet the continent’s growing demand for fish as an affordable protein.
FishLead Hub’s founding belief is that when students and young people are informed, inspired, and given practical opportunities, they will stay, innovate, and lead. The Hub seeks to close the gap between academic training and the real-world skills, networks, and confidence required to build sustainable careers and businesses in aquaculture and fisheries.
What FishLead Hub does
FishLead Hub runs a set of core activities tailored to different stages of early careers:
- Mentorship network — The Hub brings experienced practitioners and academics (from Africa and overseas) into regular contact with members. Mentors share career journeys, give practical advice, and open doors to mentorship, internships, research and work opportunities.
- Webinars and masterclasses — Regular online events target undergraduates, graduates, and professionals. Recent topics include career-building, scholarship applications, and practical farm skills. These sessions are recorded and shared via the Hub’s YouTube and social platforms.
- Hands-on training and placements — In partnership with farms and businesses (for example, through relationships developed during internships at Sejfarms), FishLead Hub helps members access short-term placements and practical projects so they can develop marketable skills while still studying.
- Outreach to schools — FishLead Hub secured an outreach grant from the Fisheries Society of the British Isles (FSBI) to run the FishLead Hub Outreach Program starting January 2026, visiting primary and secondary schools to introduce fish biology and aquaculture careers to young learners at the point of career decision-making.
- Community and peer groups — Members join cohort-based WhatsApp groups and online communities segmented by status (undergraduate, graduate, professional) so the Hub can tailor programming and serve each group effectively.
- Sponsorship and access support — FishLead Hub sponsors student attendance at conferences and events (e.g., fully sponsored undergraduate students for the FUTA World Fisheries Day conference), and it actively seeks partners to expand these opportunities.
Early impact and traction
Since opening applications for its first cohort, FishLead Hub has received strong interest. Over 300 applicants in the first recruitment cycle alone. From that pool, the Hub onboarded members into cohort groups focusing on mentorship, skills training, and career orientation. FishLead Hub has also secured an outreach grant from FSBI to fund school-level engagement starting in January 2026.
These early wins show latent demand among students for an accessible career pathway — and demonstrate the value of combining mentorship, practical skills, and visible role models.
People and partnerships
FishLead Hub is powered by a mix of young leaders, core volunteers, and a respected mentor/advisor network, including:
Dr Oluyemi K. Gbadamosi — Associate Professor, Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), researcher in fish nutrition, nutrigenomics, and aquaculture biotechnology.
Ian Wellby — Director of Blueroof Ltd, aquaculture consultant and fish health expert; long experience in training and professional development.
Dr Stephen Reichley — Associate Professor (Mississippi State University), internationally recognized aquatic health and food-security expert.
Mr Sejiro Michael Oke-Tojinu — MD, Sejfarms Consults Ltd; founder of AIID Center; LASCAFAN, former president; hands-on trainer and mentor with deep experience training thousands of young people.
The Hub is also open to collaboration/partnership with organizations and programs active in youth and aquaculture/fisheries to scale training, placements, and outreach.
What makes FishLead Hub different
- Youth-centred design: programming is created with the lived realities of students in mind — timing, affordability, practical relevance.
- Mentorship and practice: pairing high-quality mentorship with hands-on farm experience accelerates learning and career-readiness.
- Actionable pathways: the Hub emphasizes tangible next steps (internships, conference attendance, scholarship applications) rather than abstract inspiration alone.
- Local and global bridge: the Hub links local students with international mentors and opportunities, widening perspective and pathways.
Where FishLead Hub is heading
Over the next 12–24 months, FishLead Hub plans to:
Scale outreach in secondary schools (rollout begins January 2026 under FSBI support).
Expand the mentorship roster and increase the number of hands-on placement partners across Nigeria and the region.
Strengthen fundraising and sponsorship to support more student conference attendance and practical training bursaries.
Build a small library of recorded masterclasses and practical tutorials to broaden access for members who can’t attend live events.
How to support or partner
FishLead Hub welcomes collaboration with educational institutions, research centres, farms, NGOs, and funders to expand training, sponsorship, and mentorship capacity.
Ways to help include:
Hosting student placements or farm visits.
Providing bursaries or conference sponsorship.
Co-hosting webinars or contributing resource materials.
Sharing networks and pathways for scholarships and graduate opportunities.
Contact and follow
FishLead Hub — raising and empowering the next generation of aquaculture and fisheries leaders.
Email: fishleadhub@gmail.com | fishleadhubrecruitment@gmail.com | WhatsApp/Enquiries: +234 803 247 2703, +234 816 401 9827
LinkedIn: FishLead Hub | Facebook: FishLead Hub | YouTube: FishLead Hub | Instagram: @fishlead_hub
FishLead Hub — Raising and Empowering the Next Generation of Aquaculture and Fisheries Leaders
