Fish production in Rwanda increased by 66%
According to the latest data from the National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda (NISR), Rwanda's fisheries sector grew by 66% in the first quarter of 2026, compared to 22% in the same period in 2025.
This growth was largely driven by the continued expansion of tilapia cage aquaculture, which attracted substantial private investment and increased production capacity on major lakes. Furthermore, the government has stepped up efforts to combat illegal fishing.
According to the Ministry of Agriculture, the strong performance of aquaculture is consistent with long-term sector trends. Between 2022 and 2024, aquaculture growth accelerated to 21.5% per year, while fish catch increased by 3.1%, demonstrating aquaculture's growing contribution to national fish production.
Rwanda aims to increase national fish production from approximately 10,000 metric tonnes in 2024/25 to 30,000 metric tonnes by 2029. New investments in tilapia farming are expected to raise Rwanda's per capita fish consumption from about 7.2 kilogrammes in 2025 to 9 kilogrammes by 2030 and 9.8 kilogrammes by 2035.
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