Demand for Imported versus Domestic Fish in Nigeria

Fish is among the most important animal-sourced foods in Africa and crucial combatting malnutrition. demand has far outpaced supply as import share rose from 16% 1970 to 39% by 2017. Little known about who consuming imports: rural versus urban, rich poor. This first fish consumption analysis distinguishing imported domestic fish, within fresh traditional-processed. We analyse three rounds of nationally representative data Nigeria, disaggregating richer South poorer North, urban rural. Frozen (imported) accounted for 34% North (23% rural), compared with 67% areas (54% rural). The large difference frozen between regions due mainly differences income refrigerator ownership. For other forms (fresh, dried, smoked), regional are less pronounced. Income price elasticities confirm that have become deeply incorporated into habits. From a policy perspective, this intensifies concerns bills grows. However, our elasticity results show Nigerian consumers keen consume incomes increase, smoked dried also remains strong at high levels income. Promoting aquaculture promising path reduce dependence. Domestic capture fisheries remain major source making it maintain productivity sustainable through better management.