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Fishery and Aquaculture Country Profiles The Federal Republic of Nigeria

 

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Part I Statistics and main indicators

1. Country brief
2. General geographic and economic indicators
3. FAO Fisheries statistics

The Profile (2007)

Additional information

2. FAO Thematic data bases
3. Publications
4. Meetings & News archive

⇧Part I Statistics and main indicators

Part I of the Fishery and Aquaculture Country Profile is compiled using the most up-to-date information available from the FAO Country briefs and Statistics programmes at the time of publication. The Country Brief and the FAO Fisheries Statistics provided in Part I may, however, have been prepared at different times, which would explain any inconsistencies.

Country briefUpdated 11-2017

With an estimated annual per caput fish consumption of 13.3 kg in 2013, fish represents an important dietary element and one of the few sources of animal protein available to many Nigerians. In 2015, the total fisheries production was estimated at 1 027 000 tonnes, to which marine catches contributed 36 percent, inland waters catches contributed 33 percent and aquaculture 31 percent. Fishery sector contributed to 0.5 percent of national GDP in 2015.

More than 80 percent of Nigeria’s total domestic production is generated by artisanal small-scale fishers from coastal, inshore, creeks of the Niger Delta, lagoons, inland rivers and lakes. The small migratory bonga (Ethmalosa fimbriata) is the principal catch. Some initial progress has been made in developing an industrial fisheries sector, but the fleet and infrastructure are ageing. The main species from marine capture fisheries are sardinella.

With total fish imports amounting to about USD 1.2 billion and exports valued at USD 284 390 million in 2013, Nigeria is a net importer of fishery products. Fishing is a major source of livelihood. In 2014, 713 036 were reported as engaged in inland fisheries with 21% of this total women. 15% of the total 764 615 people engaged in other fisheries were women in 2014.

The aquaculture sector is driven by the private sector, with feed and seed provided by private business. Owing to recent significant investments of private capital and a renewed political will to empower the private sector in the area of aquaculture development, Nigeria is the largest aquaculture producer in Sub-Saharan Africa and this importance is steadily increasing. From 21 700 tonnes in 1999, aquaculture production has grown steadily to 316 700 tonnes in 2015 according to the government report. Catfish, typically grown in ponds and tanks, is the most farmed species in Nigeria, constituting over half of the total aquaculture production by volume. In 2012, 13 627 people were reported as employed in aquaculture (2% were women).

 

Membership in Regional Fishery Bodies

1. Committee on Inland Fisheries and Aquaculture of Africa (CIFAA)
2. Fishery Committee for the Eastern Central Atlantic (CECAF)
3. Fishery Committee of the West Central Gulf of Guinea (FCWC)
4. International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT)
5. Lake Chad Basin Commission (CBLT)
6. Ministerial Conference on Fisheries Cooperation Among African States Bordering the Atlantic (COMHAFAT-ATLAFCO)

Updated 2007⇧The Profile

This country profile provides statistics and indicators produced through FAO’s Statistics programmes, supplemented with information derived from national and other sources and valid at the time of compilation.

⇧Additional information

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