Nigeria's Director-General of the International Maritime Institute of Nigeria (IMION), Rear Admiral Thaddeus Udofia, revealed that the country's frozen fish and seafood imports increased to $866 million in 2025, up from $606 million in 2023. This significant rise in imports has sparked concerns given Nigeria's vast marine and inland fisheries resources. According to data from the United Nations Commodity Trade Statistics Database (UN COMTRADE), Nigeria's frozen fish and seafood imports grew to $688.5 million in 2024 and $866 million in 2025, representing a compound annual growth rate of 19.54 per cent.
Udofia made this disclosure in Lagos at the 2026 National Conference on Sustainable Fishing organised by the Maritime Correspondents' Organisation of Nigeria (MARCON). The conference, themed "Sustainable Fishing in Nigeria: Pathways to Growth, Food Security and Coastal Livelihoods," brought together stakeholders to discuss the challenges facing Nigeria's fisheries sector. Udofia described the increasing import figures as a paradox, given Nigeria's abundant fisheries resources. He noted that the country's inability to translate its fisheries endowment into domestic seafood sufficiency remained a major challenge to food security and economic development.
Nigeria has a maritime domain spanning about 853 kilometres of coastline along the Atlantic Ocean and extending 200 nautical miles into the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), in addition to extensive inland waterways, creeks, estuaries, and the Niger Delta Basin. These waterways and marine areas are endowed with fisheries resources and significant aquaculture potential. However, Udofia said that for decades, Nigeria's offshore and inland fisheries have operated like a sleeping giant, burdened by ecological pressures, under-investment, and the looming shadow of unsustainable exploitation.
Udofia identified overfishing, climate change, and illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing as major threats to Nigeria's fisheries sector. He particularly raised concerns over destructive fishing practices by industrial trawlers, saying they could damage marine habitats and reduce the catch available to artisanal fishermen and coastal communities. The consequences of these practices extend beyond individual fishermen, as declining catches could affect household incomes, food availability, and national food security.
To address the challenges facing the fisheries sector, Udofia advocated for a five-pillar strategy focused on stronger regulation and enforcement, science-based fisheries management, capacity building and technology, advanced maritime surveillance, and community-based fisheries management. He called for greater collaboration among maritime security agencies, fisheries authorities, and other relevant institutions to combat IUU fishing and protect Nigeria's marine resources. Udofia also stressed the importance of scientific data in determining catch limits, closed fishing seasons, and marine protected areas.
Udofia further called for increased investment in cold-chain infrastructure, fish processing technology, and specialised training to reduce post-harvest losses and create more economic opportunities for young people and women. He also advocated for a stronger transition from dependence on wild-capture fisheries to modern aquaculture. According to him, modern cage-culture systems in suitable coastal lagoons could help increase domestic fish production while creating scalable investment opportunities.
Udofia urged stakeholders at the MARCON conference to move beyond resolutions and develop an actionable framework for transforming Nigeria's fisheries sector. He emphasised the need for greater involvement of coastal communities in fisheries management, arguing that people who depend on the waterways for their livelihoods should have a role in monitoring and protecting them. Udofia concluded by stressing the importance of protecting Nigeria's waters and fisheries resources to secure the country's future.
Key points
- Nigeria's frozen fish and seafood imports rose to $866 million in 2025.
- The country's inability to translate its fisheries endowment into domestic seafood sufficiency remains a major challenge.
- Udofia advocated for a five-pillar strategy to address the challenges facing Nigeria's fisheries sector.
