Uganda Leads Africa’s Inland Fisheries Production as Demand for Fish Surges

Fisheries and aquaculture are key sources of food, nutrition, and livelihoods in Africa. However, as demand for aquatic foods continues to rise, supply is struggling to keep pace.

The 2026 edition of The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture, launched on Tuesday by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) during the Our Ocean Conference in Mombasa, Kenya, shows that global production of aquatic animals and algae reached 235 million tonnes in 2024.

Aquatic animal production alone hit a record 195 million tonnes, driven largely by the rapid expansion of aquaculture. Despite this growth, challenges remain in meeting demand in regions such as Africa.

Africa has the lowest availability of aquatic animal foods per capita globally, yet these foods provide a significant share of animal protein across the continent—about 19 percent on average.

“Across Africa, communities rely on aquatic animal foods for nutrition, and in some countries these foods provide as much as 54 percent of animal protein,” said Abebe Haile-Gabriel, FAO Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative for Africa.

“Their production also supports jobs, highlighting their critical role in the blue economy, especially for low-income and vulnerable populations.”

Capture Fisheries Remain Central to Food Supply and Employment

Marine capture fisheries remain a leading source of aquatic animals in Africa, producing 7.1 million tonnes in 2024. Morocco was the leading producer with nearly 1.4 million tonnes, followed by Mauritania, Angola, Senegal, and South Africa.

Inland fisheries continue to provide a key source of food and employment, particularly in rural areas and in low-income and landlocked countries. They contributed 3.7 million tonnes of aquatic animals in 2024, accounting for one-third of all global inland catches.

According to available data, production is concentrated in countries with major freshwater systems such as lakes and river basins. Uganda led inland fisheries production with just over 0.5 million tonnes, followed by Tanzania, Nigeria, Egypt, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Aquaculture Expanding Rapidly

Aquaculture accounts for 18 percent of total aquatic animal production in Africa and is expanding rapidly, offering significant potential to meet rising demand and support the livelihoods of a growing population.

Globally, aquaculture has been the main driver of growth in aquatic animal production. In Africa, the sector is growing at the fastest rate in the world, reaching more than 2.4 million tonnes in 2024. This represents an average annual growth rate of 8 percent since 2000, well above the global average of 5 percent over the same period.

Aquatic animal farming remains highly concentrated, with the top five producing countries accounting for 90 percent of the continent’s output. Egypt remained the leading producer with 1.6 million tonnes in 2024, representing 66 percent of regional production, followed by Nigeria, Ghana, Uganda, and Zambia.

Demand Continues to Outpace Supply

Rapid population growth, urbanization, rising incomes, and changing consumer preferences are driving increased demand for aquatic foods across Africa, placing greater pressure on supply.

Although per capita availability of aquatic animal foods in Africa has increased over time, it remains the lowest in the world at 9.1 kilograms per person per year—less than half the global average of 21.1 kilograms in 2023.

According to the report, about one-third of this availability comes from imports, which supplement domestic supply.

At the same time, Africa maintains a positive trade balance of USD 2 billion and a net gain in protein of 126,000 tonnes. The continent exports high-value commodities while importing lower-value but nutrient-rich aquatic animal products that support food security and nutrition.

Looking ahead, demand is expected to continue rising. By 2034, Africa is projected to account for around 7 percent of global aquatic animal production, with fisheries and aquaculture output expected to grow by 13 percent compared to 2024 levels.

Small-Scale Fisheries Sustain Communities

Fisheries and aquaculture are estimated to support 600 million livelihoods worldwide across the value chain. Of these, 65.3 million people were directly employed in the primary sector in 2024, with about 9 percent based in Africa, making it the second-largest fisheries workforce globally.

Inland fisheries are a major source of employment, particularly in rural and landlocked regions, employing 3.2 million fishers and accounting for 63 percent of those working in fisheries across the continent.

Despite its rapid growth, aquaculture employed only 0.6 million people in the primary sector in Africa in 2024, compared to a global total of 23.1 million fish farmers.

Most people engaged in the sector are small-scale operators. Small-scale fisheries form the backbone of both marine and inland production systems and are deeply embedded in local economies and food systems. They support household nutrition, subsistence activities, and informal markets.

Women play a particularly important role in post-harvest activities such as fish processing and marketing.

“When accounting for the full value chain, including informal and subsistence activities, the sector supports tens of millions of livelihoods across the African region, both directly and indirectly,” said Haile-Gabriel.

“Strengthening fisheries and aquaculture will be essential to meet growing demand, improve food security, and sustain livelihoods across Africa.”

Key Highlights for Africa

• Total fisheries and aquaculture production reached 13.5 million tonnes, representing 6 percent of global output.
• Aquatic animal production stood at 13.2 million tonnes, accounting for 7 percent of global production.
• Aquaculture production reached 2.7 million tonnes, representing 2 percent of global output.
• Capture fisheries produced 10.8 million tonnes of aquatic animals, accounting for 12 percent of global production.
• Per capita availability of aquatic animal foods stood at 9.1 kilograms, compared to the global average of 21.1 kilograms.
• Africa exported aquatic animal products worth USD 8.4 billion and imported products worth USD 5.9 billion.

Top Producers in Africa (2024)

Aquaculture

1. Egypt – 1.6 million tonnes
2. Nigeria – 0.3 million tonnes
3. Ghana – 0.1 million tonnes
4. Uganda – 0.1 million tonnes
5. Zambia – 0.1 million tonnes

Marine Capture Fisheries

1. Morocco – 1.4 million tonnes
2. Mauritania – 0.6 million tonnes
3. Angola – 0.6 million tonnes
4. Senegal – 0.5 million tonnes
5. South Africa – 0.5 million tonnes

Inland Fisheries

1. Uganda – 0.5 million tonnes
2. Tanzania – 0.4 million tonnes
3. Nigeria – 0.4 million tonnes
4. Egypt – 0.3 million tonnes
5. Democratic Republic of Congo – 0.3 million tonnes