Nigeria in nine months has imported seafoods worth $35 million. This is even as Norway exported 20, 500 tons of seafoods valued at $40.5 million to Nigeria in 2018.
Speaking to journalists in Lagos during a seminar organised by Norwegian Seafood Council , Trond Kostveit, Director Central and West Africa, Norwegian Seafood Council said, “Norwegian seafood in Nigeria can be traced back to the 19th century and has become an important market for Norwegian exporters, particularly for dried fish.
In terms of volumes, Nigeria is currently the largest market for dried stockfish products from Norway. Due to the economic downturn and currency challenges in Nigeria there has been a dip in sales from 2014 but recent trends show a gradual stabilization of trade, along with a broader demand in various products of fish.
This is reflected in the growing demand for Norwegian saithe, mackerel and herring, in addition to the traditional demand for stockfish and dried stockfish heads.
He stated that the Pelagic species are a price sensitive product in Nigeria, and Norwegian fishing quotas on herring and mackerel affect the import of these species from Norway to a large degree.
“Partly because of this, imports of Norwegian herring have been increasing since 2016 as quotas increase.
The Norwegian exports of herring have had a significant increase from 2016, when it was at its lowest at 27 tons (valued at 27 000 USD). In 2017, annual exports volumes rose to 3,700 tons, and then 4,900 tons in 2018, and to a record high 9,800 tons so far in 2019 landing on a value of 5,4 million USD. 52.000 tons of mackerel were exported in 2014, the export volume decreased to just 675 tons in 2018.
In 2019 (Jan-Sep), Norwegian mackerel exports totals 1,600 tons (2,2 million USD), a 137 percent growth from same time last year. He went further stating that, Nigeria introduced import quotas on fish and fishery products in 2013.
“Import quotas vary from year to year. There are no fixed quotas for stockfish but a license is needed for imports”.
He said, “The current tariff rates on dry fish from Norway to Nigeria is at 20 per cent. In August 2019, tariff rates on dried fish heads was reduced from 20 per cent to 10 per cent. Frozen whole mackerel and herring are set at 10 per cent.”