More than the COVID-19 pandemic itself, the lockdowns to prevent its spread have harder hit Nigeria’s unorganized small-scale fishers. The COVID-19 pandemic has fundamentally struck all facets of life in affected countries and the small-scale fisheries (SSF) of Nigeria are no exception. The pandemic has hit the country’s small fishers both directly and indirectly. Small operators are the bulk of Nigeria’s fisheries sector. They account for 70 per cent of the domestic fish production, and sustain the livelihoods of millions of people in one way or another; the dependence on local fish species for economic and food security is evidently large. SSF provides an accessible, cheap and rich source of protein and essential micronutrients to the rural population. Their impact on social, economic and cultural spheres is immense.