Does seafood trade enhance seafood availability in developing countries? The case of Nigeria

Seafood is a highly traded food group. Moreover, the trade is controversial, and particularly in relation to developing countries. To proponents, trade provides a source of food, nutrition and economic development, while for opponents, it is an example of how the rich take food out of the mouths of the poor. Review articles provide no clear conclusions with respect to the merit of the seafood trade, suggesting that the picture is nuanced and that case studies are important. In this study we will investigate seafood availability in Nigeria for the period 2000 to 2020 with a focus on the origin of the seafood by estimating apparent consumption. Our results indicate that Nigeria is a country where seafood imports are highly important for seafood availability. Imports provide 42% of the seafood consumed in 2020, while exports are negligible. In common with imports, domestic fisheries landings and aquaculture production have increased since the turn of the century. The Netherlands is the most important source country for Nigerian seafood imports, and most imports originate in Europe. Imports from neighboring countries in Africa are highly limited.