Introduction
Africa has the natural resources, agricultural raw materials and growing consumer demand needed to develop a much larger aquaculture industry. Across the continent, extensive freshwater lakes, rivers, reservoirs, coastal waters and favourable climatic conditions support the farming of species such as Nile tilapia, African catfish, trout, marine fish and shrimp. Yet African aquaculture remains underdeveloped relative to its potential.
According to the FAO’s State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2024, Africa produced just over 2.3 million tonnes of farmed aquatic animals in 2022. Production is also highly concentrated, with Egypt accounting for approximately 62% of regional aquaculture output and Nigeria contributing around 10%. Many other African countries have suitable resources but have yet to develop aquaculture at meaningful industrial scale. Future growth will depend on several interconnected factors, including suitable fish genetics, reliable fingerling supply, water availability, production infrastructure, farm management, market access and investment.
However, one factor has a particularly significant influence on both production volume and profitability:
The availability of affordable, consistent and high-quality aqua feed.
Feed is not simply one input among many. It is often the largest operating cost in commercial fish farming and can account for approximately 40–70% of total production expenses, depending on the species, farming system and level of intensity. Africa cannot build a competitive and sustainable aquaculture industry without strengthening its aqua feed value chain.
Aquaculture is becoming increasingly important
Demand for fish and other aquatic foods continues to grow as populations increase, cities expand and consumers seek affordable sources of high-quality animal protein. At the same time, wild-capture fisheries cannot be expected to meet all future demand.
Aquaculture therefore has an increasingly important role to play in:
- Expanding food production
- Improving food and nutritional security
- Creating rural and industrial employment
- Supporting youth and agricultural enterprises
- Reducing dependence on imported fish
- Creating new markets for African crops and co-products
- Increasing the value generated from local agricultural production
Africa remains a net importer of fish and fish products. While this represents a strategic challenge, it also highlights a significant opportunity. More fish can be produced locally when viable farming systems are supported by efficient hatcheries, appropriate feed, capable farmers and dependable market channels.
In the near term, some of the strongest opportunities are likely to remain in Nile tilapia and African catfish. Both species are familiar to African consumers, can be farmed in ponds, tanks and cages, and are suited to a wide range of production environments. As production becomes more intensive, however, the industry becomes increasingly dependent on high-quality formulated feed.
Feed is the foundation of commercial fish farming
The impact of fish feed extends far beyond its purchase price.
Feed quality directly influences:
- Growth rate
- Feed conversion ratio
- Survival
- Time to market weight
- Fish health
- Harvest uniformity
- Water quality
- Waste generation
- Production capacity
- Overall farm profitability
For this reason, the lowest-priced feed is not necessarily the most economical.
The more meaningful commercial measure is not simply the price per tonne or per bag. It is the feed cost required to produce one kilogram of saleable fish. A higher-priced feed can create greater value when it delivers better digestibility, faster growth, improved survival, lower feed conversion ratios, reduced waste and shorter production cycles.
This is why aqua feed production cannot be approached simply as the manufacture of pellets. It requires a combination of nutrition, ingredient science, process engineering, quality assurance and practical farming knowledge.
The current African feed challenge
Africa’s aqua feed industry differs considerably from one country to another. Egypt has a large and established aquaculture and feed-manufacturing sector. Nigeria has a significant African catfish industry supported by international, national, regional and farm-based feed producers. Ghana, Uganda and Zambia have developed important commercial tilapia clusters, while Kenya and Tanzania continue to expand cage and pond production. Countries such as Malawi, Rwanda, Côte d’Ivoire, Cameroon, Mozambique and the Democratic Republic of Congo also offer significant long-term potential, although their current markets remain smaller.
Across many of these markets, similar challenges continue to emerge:
- High feed prices
- Dependence on imported feed or ingredients
- Long transport distances
- Foreign-exchange exposure
- Inconsistent raw-material quality
- Limited local production capacity
- Variable pellet quality
- Poor water stability
- Excessive fines
- Incorrect floating or sinking behaviour
- Limited access to formulation and extrusion expertise
These challenges cannot be solved indefinitely through increasing imports of finished feed. Africa needs stronger local and regional aqua feed production systems.
Local aqua feed production is an industrial opportunity
Aqua feed production creates a direct link between aquaculture and Africa’s broader agricultural economy.
Potential raw materials include:
- Maize
- Wheat and wheat by-products
- Soybeans and soybean meal
- Sunflower cake
- Cottonseed cake
- Groundnut cake
- Cassava
- Sorghum
- Millet
- Canola meal
- Fishmeal
- Poultry by-product meal
- Insect protein
- Brewers’ grains
- Other agro-industrial co-products
The objective, however, should not be to use local ingredients simply because they are available. Each ingredient must be evaluated according to its nutritional quality, digestibility, starch, fibre, fat, moisture, amino-acid profile, antinutritional factors and potential contamination risks. Successful local production therefore depends on combining African raw materials with scientific formulation, laboratory analysis and appropriate processing technology.
This creates opportunities for several categories of businesses:
Existing animal-feed manufacturers
Animal-feed manufacturers may already have established procurement systems, storage, batching, mixing, laboratories, distribution networks and experienced operating teams. Aqua feed can provide an attractive route to product diversification. However, fish feed has specialised requirements relating to pellet density, water stability, digestibility, oil absorption and particle size.
Large commercial fish farmers
For large integrated fish farms, feed is often the single largest purchased input. Where sufficient annual demand exists, own-feed production can provide greater control over feed quality, cost and availability. It can also allow producers to develop formulations suited to their fish genetics, farming conditions and market requirements.
Grain and oilseed processors
Processors with access to maize, soybeans, wheat, sunflower and other crops can use aqua feed production to move further along the value chain. Instead of selling only raw commodities or basic meals, these materials can be transformed into technically advanced products serving a growing animal-protein industry.
Independent regional feed producers
Many aquaculture clusters are located far from large feed mills. Regional production can reduce transport costs, improve feed availability and provide products better suited to local farming conditions.
Why modern extrusion is important
Traditional pelletising remains suitable for certain sinking feeds, but modern commercial aqua feed increasingly relies on extrusion. During extrusion, the feed mixture is exposed to controlled moisture, temperature, pressure and mechanical energy. When properly designed and controlled, extrusion can:
- Cook and gelatinise starch
- Improve pellet binding and water stability
- Improve digestibility
- Produce floating, slow-sinking or sinking feeds
- Control pellet density
- Improve oil absorption
- Produce different pellet sizes
- Improve product consistency
- Support a wider range of raw materials
Aqua feed manufacturing presents unique challenges because the product must retain both its nutrients and physical integrity after entering water. Importantly, the extruder is only one part of the production system.
A modern aqua feed plant also requires effective:
- Raw-material intake and dosing
- Fine grinding
- Mixing
- Preconditioning
- Extrusion
- Drying
- Cooling
- Oil and liquid coating
- Screening
- Packaging
- Automation
- Laboratory quality control
- Traceability
High-quality feed is produced by the complete process, not by the extruder alone.
Growing confidence in African aqua feed
Recent investments demonstrate growing confidence in Africa’s aquaculture sector. In September 2025, De Heus opened a dedicated fish-feed facility in Njeru, Uganda. The company states that the facility can produce up to 100,000 tonnes of fish feed annually at full capacity and is intended to reduce dependence on imports while serving Uganda and the wider East African market.
Developments such as this highlight several important trends.
First, African aquaculture is reaching a scale that can justify advanced industrial feed plants. Second, local production can improve feed accessibility and reduce dependence on long international supply chains.
Third, future African feed plants will need to meet increasingly demanding standards for process control, product consistency and technical support. The opportunity is not limited to multinational companies. African feed manufacturers, grain processors and integrated fish producers can also participate, provided they invest in appropriate technology and develop the required technical expertise.
A value-based approach to industry development
Africa does not simply need more fish feed. It needs feed that creates measurable value for the farmer. Successful aqua feed should deliver:
- Consistent nutritional composition
- Appropriate performance for the target species and life stage
- Reliable floating or sinking characteristics
- Good water stability
- Low fines
- High pellet durability
- Effective oil absorption
- Good palatability
- Improved feed conversion
- Competitive feed cost per kilogram of fish
Feed production must also be linked to farmer education. Even high-quality feed will underperform when feeding rates, fish biomass, water temperature, dissolved oxygen and health management are poorly controlled. Feed manufacturers therefore have an opportunity to become technical partners to farmers, rather than simply suppliers of bags.
The CFAM African Aqua Feed Value Initiative
CFAM is launching the African Aqua Feed Value Initiative to support companies seeking to enter, expand or modernise aqua feed production.
Over the next 12 weeks, the initiative will explore the complete aqua feed value chain, including:
- African market and feed-demand potential
- Opportunities for existing animal-feed manufacturers
- Own-feed production by commercial fish farmers
- Floating, slow-sinking and sinking feed
- Tilapia and African catfish nutrition
- African raw-material utilisation
- Pelletising versus extrusion
- Requirements of modern aqua feed plants
- Physical pellet quality
- Feed conversion and farming economics
- Building a commercially successful aqua feed business
The purpose is not simply to sell extrusion equipment.
It is to help African industry players identify viable opportunities and convert them into sustainable businesses.
Conclusion
Africa’s aquaculture opportunity is substantial, but future growth will depend on farmers having access to affordable, consistent and high-performing feed.
Stronger local aqua feed production can:
- Reduce dependence on imports
- Improve feed availability
- Support local fish farmers
- Create new markets for African crops
- Generate industrial employment
- Improve fish-production economics
- Strengthen food security
Achieving this requires more than basic pellet production. It requires market understanding, nutritional formulation, raw-material control, modern processing technology, integrated plant design, skilled operators and consistent quality management. The principle behind the CFAM African Aqua Feed Value Initiative is therefore simple: Better aqua feed creates better fish growth, stronger farming businesses and a more sustainable African aquaculture industry.
CFAM invites feed manufacturers, grain processors, commercial fish farmers, investors and development partners to participate in building the next generation of African aqua feed production.
