Fish and seafood production in Nigeria
Nigeria: Fish and seafood production was 1.08 million tonnes in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
1.08 million tonnes
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
25th
of 192 countries
All-time high
1.21 million tonnes
in 2017
All-time low
55,010 tonnes
in 1961
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Fish and seafood production in Nigeria, 1961–2023
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes.
Analysis
The most recent figure for fish and seafood production in Nigeria is 1.08 million tonnes, measured in 2023.
The figure is up 8.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, fish and seafood production in Nigeria peaked at 1.21 million tonnes in 2017 and was at its lowest, 55,010 tonnes, in 1961.
Nigeria ranks 25th of 192 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Fish and seafood production in Nigeria, year by year
| Year | tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 55,010 tonnes | — |
| 1962 | 65,230 tonnes | +18.6% |
| 1963 | 66,250 tonnes | +1.6% |
| 1964 | 85,470 tonnes | +29.0% |
| 1965 | 97,280 tonnes | +13.8% |
| 1966 | 110,100 tonnes | +13.2% |
| 1967 | 119,420 tonnes | +8.5% |
| 1968 | 120,130 tonnes | +0.6% |
| 1969 | 115,850 tonnes | -3.6% |
| 1970 | 155,900 tonnes | +34.6% |
| 1971 | 245,300 tonnes | +57.3% |
| 1972 | 246,390 tonnes | +0.4% |
| 1973 | 250,590 tonnes | +1.7% |
| 1974 | 257,340 tonnes | +2.7% |
| 1975 | 256,500 tonnes | -0.3% |
| 1976 | 260,590 tonnes | +1.6% |
| 1977 | 262,180 tonnes | +0.6% |
| 1978 | 264,070 tonnes | +0.7% |
| 1979 | 268,750 tonnes | +1.8% |
| 1980 | 261,290 tonnes | -2.8% |
| 1981 | 260,130 tonnes | -0.4% |
| 1982 | 269,720 tonnes | +3.7% |
| 1983 | 272,310 tonnes | +1.0% |
| 1984 | 263,930 tonnes | -3.1% |
| 1985 | 245,350 tonnes | -7.0% |
| 1986 | 271,570 tonnes | +10.7% |
| 1987 | 260,810 tonnes | -4.0% |
| 1988 | 279,510 tonnes | +7.2% |
| 1989 | 300,450 tonnes | +7.5% |
| 1990 | 316,330 tonnes | +5.3% |
| 1991 | 267,700 tonnes | -15.4% |
| 1992 | 318,420 tonnes | +18.9% |
| 1993 | 255,500 tonnes | -19.8% |
| 1994 | 281,230 tonnes | +10.1% |
| 1995 | 366,100 tonnes | +30.2% |
| 1996 | 357,480 tonnes | -2.4% |
| 1997 | 412,220 tonnes | +15.3% |
| 1998 | 483,480 tonnes | +17.3% |
| 1999 | 477,370 tonnes | -1.3% |
| 2000 | 467,100 tonnes | -2.2% |
| 2001 | 476,540 tonnes | +2.0% |
| 2002 | 511,720 tonnes | +7.4% |
| 2003 | 505,840 tonnes | -1.1% |
| 2004 | 509,200 tonnes | +0.7% |
| 2005 | 579,540 tonnes | +13.8% |
| 2006 | 636,900 tonnes | +9.9% |
| 2007 | 615,510 tonnes | -3.4% |
| 2008 | 744,570 tonnes | +21.0% |
| 2009 | 751,010 tonnes | +0.9% |
| 2010 | 818,000 tonnes | +8.9% |
| 2011 | 857,000 tonnes | +4.8% |
| 2012 | 923,000 tonnes | +7.7% |
| 2013 | 1.00 million tonnes | +8.3% |
| 2014 | 1.07 million tonnes | +7.3% |
| 2015 | 1.03 million tonnes | -4.3% |
| 2016 | 1.04 million tonnes | +1.4% |
| 2017 | 1.21 million tonnes | +16.4% |
| 2018 | 1.17 million tonnes | -3.5% |
| 2019 | 1.11 million tonnes | -4.6% |
| 2020 | 1.04 million tonnes | -6.3% |
| 2021 | 1.08 million tonnes | +3.4% |
| 2022 | 1.08 million tonnes | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 1.08 million tonnes | +0.0% |
Nigeria compared with similar countries
- Nigeria's 1.08 million tonnes is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 151,000 tonnes, 7.2× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Nigeria's 1.08 million tonnes is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 79,000 tonnes, 13.7× the median. (45 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Fish and seafood production in Nigeria changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1971 | +57.3% | 155,900 tonnes | 245,300 tonnes |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 92,749 tonnes | 55,010 tonnes | 120,130 tonnes | 9 |
| 1970s | 246,761 tonnes | 155,900 tonnes | 268,750 tonnes | 10 |
| 1980s | 268,507 tonnes | 245,350 tonnes | 300,450 tonnes | 10 |
| 1990s | 353,583 tonnes | 255,500 tonnes | 483,480 tonnes | 10 |
| 2000s | 579,793 tonnes | 467,100 tonnes | 751,010 tonnes | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.02 million tonnes | 818,000 tonnes | 1.21 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.07 million tonnes | 1.04 million tonnes | 1.08 million tonnes | 4 |
Countries ranked near Nigeria
More agriculture & rural data for Nigeria
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 2.38 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.2298 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 281.32 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate -0.1218 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0003 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.3622 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 23.0% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 23.0% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 0.4% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 0.6% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is fish and seafood production in Nigeria?
- Fish and seafood production in Nigeria was 1.08 million tonnes in 2023, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest fish and seafood production recorded in Nigeria?
- The highest recorded value was 1.21 million tonnes in 2017.
- What is the lowest fish and seafood production recorded in Nigeria?
- The lowest recorded value was 55,010 tonnes in 1961.
- How does Nigeria rank for fish and seafood production?
- Nigeria ranks 25th out of 192 countries with data for 2023.
- Is fish and seafood production rising or falling in Nigeria?
- Over the last ten years it is up 8.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Nigeria data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Fish and seafood production. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 63 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Fish and seafood production is measured as the sum of seafood from wild catch and fish farming (aquaculture).