Find Fisheries expertise in Nigeria

Agriculture, forestry and fisheries together contribute 33% of GDP (2007). With its coastline of 853 kilometres and its abundance of freshwater, Nigeria has many fisheries in both coastal and inland waters. According to the FAO, in 2004 fisheries contributed 1.55% to the GDP, and in 2005 total seafood export value was equivalent to 0.66% of the GDP. Fish imports into Nigeria vastly exceed fish exports. The total number of jobs in Nigeria’s fishing industry in 2005 was more than 700,000. Artisanal fisheries dominate the sector. 

The catch profile includes croakers, soles, groupers, snappers, barracudas, elephant snouts, trunk fish and shellfish, such as shrimps, crabs, periwinkles and oysters. About half of the total catch is exported. Shrimps form the bulk of Nigeria’s fish exports. Shrimps are graded, packaged and certified in Nigeria, in conformity with EU guidelines, then shipped to Europe and the USA. 

In 2004, out of a grand total of 1,157,234 tonnes of fish supply in Nigeria, more than a third was from the artisanal sector (coastal and inland). Aquaculture made up less than 4% of the grand total, and industrial (coastal trawler) fishing made up less than 3% of the grand total. More than half of the total fish supply came from the cheap, deep frozen landings of distant water vessels (imports), which consist of lower-grade mackerel, sardinella and herring. 

Fish represented 28% of the animal protein content of the average Nigerian diet in 2004. Elite consumers are provided for in the chain stores and supermarkets. The choice species are croakers, shinenose, baraccuda, shrimps and lobsters. Canned fish (tuna and sardines), which are mainly imports, are widely available in local markets and shops. Tilapia and catfish are the major species farmed by local fish farmers.

The Sea Fisheries Decrees Act of 1971, and the relevant Fishery Regulations and the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) Decree of 1978, enable the Federal Government to control, regulate and protect the sea fisheries resources. There is at present no such uniform law for inland fisheries. The Federal Department for Fisheries promotes fisheries development in the country.

Several state governments are engaged in trying to reduce Nigeria’s dependence on fish imports. In August 2012, for instance, the Lagos state government declared its intention to foster the production of one million metric tonnes of fish by 2015.

There are numerous fishing companies in Nigeria. These include Honeywell Fisheries Limited (deep-sea bottom trawling for shrimps in the Gulf of Guinea), Ellah Lakes plc (fish farming) and Belewo Specialised Fish Farm.