The Livelihood Improvement Family Enterprises Project in the Niger Delta (LIFE-ND) is a joint initiative funded by the Federal Government of Nigeria, IFAD, and the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC). It seeks to enhance the livelihoods of rural youth and women by promoting sustainable agribusiness development across nine states in the Niger Delta. With a $90 million budget, the project targets 25,500 beneficiaries, offering agribusiness incubation, training, and infrastructure support to improve income, food security, and job creation. The project operates in 900 communities across 90 Local Government Areas (LGAs), focusing on high-value commodities such as rice, cassava, fish, poultry, and oil palm. LIFE-ND’s innovative incubation model equips beneficiaries with hands-on agribusiness skills, enabling them to establish their own enterprises. Financial inclusion is promoted through cashless credit systems and off-taker pre-financing arrangements, which provide access to capital for rural entrepreneurs. A key focus of the project is the aquaculture value chain, which is critical given the riverine geography of the Niger Delta. Fish farming initiatives in five states—Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo, and Ondo—have empowered 1,263 fish farmers, who utilize earthen ponds, cage culture, and tarpaulin ponds in flood-prone areas. The project promotes catfish and tilapia cultivation, using juveniles to increase productivity, allowing beneficiaries to complete four production cycles annually. In addition to aquaculture, LIFE-ND supports fish processing, marketing, fingerling production, artisanal fishing, and the sale of fish inputs, with over 2,911 beneficiaries engaged in various stages of the fish value chain. An analysis of project data shows that fish ranks second in beneficiary engagement, representing 21% (2,911) of the total 25,500 participants, following cassava (26%), with poultry in third place (20%). These trends reflect market demand and the preferences of beneficiaries. LIFE-ND partners with organizations like WorldFish, USAID Feed the Future, and Orisha Farms to provide technical support, capacity building, and access to genetically improved farmed tilapia (GIFT) and cage culture training. The project integrates climate resilience and environmental sustainability into its operations, contributing to the long-term development of the Niger Delta region. Despite its achievements, the project faces challenges such as limited funding, insecurity in the region, beneficiaries abandoning projects after empowerment, unstable economic policies, and insufficient financial support for rural fish farmers. Addressing these challenges is crucial for sustaining the project’s impact on rural development and aquaculture in the Niger Delta.