Frozen mackerel and horse mackerel for West Africa: 2026 buyer's guide

To buy frozen mackerel (titus) or horse mackerel (kote, chinchard) for West Africa in 2026, fix five things in the contract: the species by its Latin name, the size in grams and pieces per kg, the catch season, the glaze and net weight, and the documents your port needs. Atlantic mackerel is scarce and expensive this year after a deep quota cut, so most importers are moving part of their volume to jack mackerel from Chile, chub mackerel and horse mackerel. This guide explains each point, country by country, with sources at the end.

By Stanislav Tatarnikov, founder and CEO of ATC Group, Warsaw. ATC is a trading company: we do not own a plant or a vessel. We buy from approved plants and fisheries and ship full 40ft reefer containers to West and Central Africa.

1. Which fish are you actually buying?

In West African markets, "mackerel" and "horse mackerel" cover at least six species. They look alike in a carton. They do not have the same fat, taste, price or customs code. Always write the Latin name on the proforma and check it on the health certificate.

"Titus" is the Nigerian market name for mackerel and "kote" is horse mackerel. Herring is "shawa" and hake is "panla" (9jafoodie glossary). In 2019, Lagos traders reported counterfeit "titus" sold at about half the price of genuine fish (The Guardian Nigeria). The same risk exists with species substitution: a carton labelled "mackerel" can contain chub mackerel or horse mackerel. Ask for the Latin name on the label, the packing list and the health certificate.

How the species differ for your customers

• Scomber scombrus is the fattest. Norwegian producers report fat around 30% at the autumn peak and about 3% at the lowest point of the year (Norwegian Fishermen's Sales Organisation for Pelagic Fish). It is the premium fish for smoking.
• Scomber colias and Scomber japonicus are leaner and firmer. They fry well and hold their shape in sauce. Most "titus" sold at mass-market prices in West Africa is chub mackerel.
• Trachurus species (horse and jack mackerel) have a harder skin and lateral scutes. They are the volume fish of Côte d'Ivoire, Cameroon and Ghana for frying, smoking and grilling.

See the species sheets: frozen mackerel, Atlantic horse mackerel and, for the cheaper pelagic segment, sardinella. The full range is on the frozen fish page.

2. Origins and fishing seasons

Season decides fat, size mix and price. The same species caught in March and in October is not the same product.

Sources for each line are listed at the end. Two points for planning. First, North-East Atlantic mackerel arrives mostly between July and November, so offers for large, fat fish are firm in the first half of the year. Second, North-West African small pelagic stocks are under pressure: an FAO CECAF study recommended a 60% cut in fishing effort on sardinella, horse mackerel and sardine off North-West Africa (SeafoodSource, December 2024). Expect more closed seasons, not fewer.

3. Sizes in grams, centimetres and pieces per kg

Most disputes on arrival are about size. Some origins sell by weight (200–300 g), others by length (16+, 20+, 25+ cm). Write both, plus the expected count per kg and the tolerance for undersized fish.

The table below converts length to weight with FishBase length–weight parameters (total length, all sizes). It is an average. Fat autumn fish weigh more at the same length; lean spring fish weigh less. Some packers measure fork length, which gives heavier fish for the same number. Use it to check that an offer makes sense, not as a contract value.

Weights calculated by ATC from FishBase parameters (W = a × L^b); pieces per kg = 1,000 ÷ weight.

Grades you will see on offers

• Atlantic mackerel: 200–400 g, 300–500 g, 400–600 g, 600 g+ (or 20+, 23+, 25+ cm).
• Pacific chub mackerel: 100–300 g, 300–500 g, 500–900 g, 900 g+.
• Atlantic chub mackerel and horse mackerel: 16+, 18+, 20+, 23+, 25+ cm, or counts such as 3–6 pcs/kg.
• Norwegian export statistics split mackerel into "under 600 g" and "600 g or more".

What West African buyers tend to choose. Price per kg usually decides. In our enquiries, the most requested whole round grades are in the 200–300 g and 300–500 g band, and 16+ to 20+ cm for horse mackerel sold to retail cold rooms. Smoking customers pay more for larger, fatter fish. Ask your own wholesalers which count per carton sells fastest, then contract on that count.

Put three lines in the contract: the size grade in grams, the expected pieces per kg, and the maximum share of undersized or broken fish per carton.

4. Fat, season and quality checks

Fat is the main quality difference for Scomber scombrus. Norway's producers describe a short autumn season when the fish has fed all summer and reaches up to 28–30% fat. Spring fish after spawning can be very lean. Chub mackerel and horse mackerel vary less.

What to ask for in writing:

1. Catch month and fishing area (FAO area). Autumn North-East Atlantic fish costs more because it is fatter.
2. Production date on each carton. Ghana's FDA requires at least 60% of the shelf life to remain when the goods are inspected at the port. On a product with a 24-month shelf life, that means at least about 14 months left on arrival.
3. Histamine. Mackerel is a scombroid fish. The EU criterion for fish species with high histidine is n = 9, c = 2, m = 100 mg/kg, M = 200 mg/kg (Regulation (EC) No 2073/2005, as summarised by the French food safety authority). Ask for a lab report per lot.
4. Temperature record. Ghana's FDA asks for a single-point temperature recorder in each container, placed near the centre of the load, second package from the door. It is good practice for every port.

5. Packing, glaze and net weight

Cartons. Whole round pelagics for Africa are block frozen and packed in cartons of 20 kg net (one 20 kg block or two 10 kg blocks) or 30 kg net (three 10 kg blocks). Some IQF fish is packed in 10 kg or 20 kg cartons.

Glaze. Glaze is a thin layer of ice that protects fatty fish from drying and oxidation. Codex Standard 165-1989 notes that fatty fish such as herring and mackerel are typically glazed, and states that the declared net content must exclude the glaze. Price quotes in FAO GLOBEFISH reports sometimes state the glaze, for example "IQF, 2% glaze". Ask for the glaze percentage in writing and pay on net weight. A heavy glaze is water sold at the price of fish.

Labels. Ghana's FDA requires, on each package, the supplier's address, the country of supply, a batch code and the net weight, plus shelf life and storage temperature. Côte d'Ivoire's veterinary inspectors check labelling, production and expiry dates and health marks during physical inspection. Make sure your supplier prints these on every carton, in English or French according to the market.

6. How much fits in a 40ft reefer?

One public example: a 40ft container of Chilean jack mackerel shipped from Coquimbo to Togo in February 2024 carried 28.3 t (Sernapesca). Loads above 27 t depend on block size and the container's payload limit.

ATC loads fish from several ports according to origin, for example Gdańsk, Gdynia, Klaipėda, Rotterdam, IJmuiden, Vigo and Las Palmas for pelagics. For transit times and free days by carrier, read our note on reefer transit and free time to Abidjan. For who pays freight and insurance, see CIF, CFR and FOB for frozen food.

7. Documents for each shipment

For fish imported into the EU, catch certificates have been handled in the EU CATCH digital system since 10 January 2026. It does not change African import rules. Ask for the catch certificate anyway: it is the simplest proof that the fish was caught legally.

8. Import rules in the main markets

Rules change. Check them with your clearing agent before each new contract. Below is what official or press sources say today.

Nigeria (fish only)

See our Nigeria fish market page.

• Licence from the fisheries department. Frozen fish imports need an import licence from the Federal Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture. In 2021, 39 of about 200 applicants were approved; applicants need tax clearance, adequate cold storage and trading experience (Sweetcrude Reports). In February 2026, the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy approved the digitisation of fish import licences (Blueprint).
• NAFDAC authorisation to open Form M. NAFDAC's Ports Inspection Directorate issues an electronic authorisation to open Form M for frozen fish importers. The importer uploads the fisheries department permit. Processing takes about 9 working days for a single item (NAFDAC guideline, 2022), and the authorisation expires on 31 December each year.
• Form M and foreign exchange. Form M is opened through the banking system under the Central Bank of Nigeria before payment is made.
• Quota history. In 2014 the government introduced a fish import quota with a 25% annual reduction target. In that system, the fisheries department's clearance letters set the quantities and values to import (The Fish Site). Ask your agent how volumes are allocated this year.
• What is not allowed. Frozen fish may not enter through land borders, and the policy bans imports of frozen farmed fish (Ripples Nigeria, 2017). NAFDAC confirmed in 2024 that frozen catfish imports are banned. Buying in Cotonou to cross by road is outside the rules.

Nigeria's minister said in 2022 that demand is about 3.6 million t a year against domestic production of 1.2 million t (Shipping Position).

Ghana

• FDA licence and permit. Only FDA-licensed importers may import, with an annual licence. Each consignment needs an electronic import permit (eMDA) before shipment. It is processed within about one working day after fees are paid (FDA guideline FDA/ICD/GDL-04/05, effective 2 July 2025).
• At the port. Every consignment is physically inspected. The FDA can hold goods for lab tests. At least 60% of shelf life must remain, and fish must be kept at -18 °C ±3 °C or colder during the voyage. The cold store must be FDA-licensed.
• Fisheries law. The Fisheries and Aquaculture Act 2025 (Act 1146), sections 99 to 103, requires a permit to import fish and fishery products.

See our Ghana market page.

Côte d'Ivoire

• Sanitary clearance. The Ministry of Animal and Fisheries Resources (MIRAH, veterinary services) issues a certificat de salubrité after physical inspection at the port, in the presence of customs. Inspectors sample six cartons from the front, middle and back of the container for laboratory analysis; for fish the result takes one day (GUCE Côte d'Ivoire trade portal).
• Documents. Customs declaration, invoice, bill of lading, certificate of origin and the prior import authorisation are among the documents listed.
• Duties. In April 2025 the government announced compensatory duties on fish imports to support local production; rates were not published in the press report. Ask your forwarder for the current rate.

See our Côte d'Ivoire market page. Burkina Faso is supplied by road through Abidjan, Lomé or Tema: see Burkina Faso via coastal ports.

Cameroon

• Ministry approval. The Ministry of Livestock, Fisheries and Animal Industries (MINEPIA) grants import technical opinions (avis technique). A sanitary and veterinary inspection tax of 3% of cargo value applies (EcoMatin, 2021).
• Pre-shipment inspection. Cameroon's PECAE programme covers frozen fish in Chapter 03 under mandatory Route A. Fees are 0.45% of FOB value, minimum EUR 300 and maximum EUR 7,000 per shipment. Goods without the certificate of conformity cannot be cleared (SGS datasheet).
• Market structure. A single importer handles about 80% of imported volumes (Business in Cameroon, 2025).

Benin and Togo

Lomé and Cotonou serve their own markets and the Sahel. A first direct shipment of Chilean jack mackerel from Coquimbo to Togo was reported in February 2024. We did not find an official published procedure for fish imports to cite here; check the sanitary requirements with your clearing agent before the first shipment.

9. Import volumes: who buys how much

Customs data use different codes. HS 0303.54 / 030374 is mackerel (Scomber). Horse and jack mackerel (Trachurus) often fall in "other frozen fish" (030379) in the older nomenclature used by WITS. Read the tables with that in mind.

Source: World Bank WITS (UN Comtrade).

Other frozen fish (030379), which includes much of the Trachurus trade, is much larger: Côte d'Ivoire imported 387,286 t in 2023 (Chile 118,729 t, China, Senegal, Peru, Morocco) and Cameroon 197,613 t (Mauritania first).

National figures confirm the scale:

• Côte d'Ivoire: 732,363 t of fish imported in 2024 for CFA 518.5 billion, the second food import after rice (customs data reported by Ecofin Agency).
• Cameroon: 267,259 t of frozen fish in 2025 for CFA 230.8 billion, up 29.1% in volume from about 207,000 t in 2024 (national statistics institute). Mackerel was 48.7% of fish imports in 2015–2018.
• Ghana: fish available for consumption of 23.6 kg per person (FAO GLOBEFISH profile, 2023 data).
• Nigeria: recorded mackerel imports fell by about 46% in tonnage between 2023 and 2024 (WITS).

10. Market trends for 2026

Atlantic mackerel: deep quota cut, record prices.

• ICES advised a 2026 catch of no more than 174,357 t, almost 70% below its 2025 advice (SeafoodSource).
• The UK, Norway, Faroe Islands and Iceland agreed a 2026 TAC of 299,010 t in December 2025. The EU set a preliminary limit of 156,921 t for the first half of 2026. There is no full international agreement.
• Norway's frozen mackerel under 600 g sold at NOK 51.26/kg in week 41 of 2026, against NOK 46.49 a year earlier. Year-to-date exports in that size were 61,766 t against 138,082 t in 2025 (Norwegian Seafood Council data via IndexBox).
• FAO GLOBEFISH (May 2026) quoted Norwegian whole mackerel under 600 g at NOK 49.46/kg (about USD 5.35/kg) and expects another record year in value. It notes that buyers are turning to Pacific chub mackerel and Chilean jack mackerel.
• For 2027, ICES advised up to 352,938 t (30 September 2026). Supply in 2027 depends on the quotas the coastal states set from that advice.

Substitutes: price points from the same GLOBEFISH report (May 2026)

These are public market references, not ATC offers. Prices move weekly.

Jack mackerel: more supply. The South Pacific RFMO raised the 2026 jack mackerel catch limit at its March 2026 meeting in Panama, and set a cap of 1,726,278 t for 2027 if no new procedure is adopted. Chilean jack mackerel exports reached USD 75 million in January 2026 (+112.5%), with USD 44 million to Côte d'Ivoire and USD 13 million to Burkina Faso (ProChile data).

Global picture. Undercurrent News expects global supply of the main pelagic species to fall about 4% to 21.2 million t in 2026, driven by the Atlantic mackerel cut. GLOBEFISH reports that Norway exported 196,030 t of whole frozen mackerel in 2025, with record value of NOK 8.5 billion, mostly to Korea, Viet Nam and Japan.

What this means for a West African importer. Do not wait for cheap Norwegian mackerel in 2026. Use jack mackerel and chub mackerel for price-sensitive volume, keep Atlantic mackerel for smoking customers who pay for fat, and plan for higher prices on North-West African horse mackerel as closed seasons multiply.

11. How to check a supplier before you pay

Fake suppliers target exactly this product. In 2020, a UK buyer paid about EUR 36,000 for a 40ft container of Norwegian frozen mackerel "bound for Tema". The container did not exist. The fraudsters copied a real Norwegian company's website, produced a health certificate, packing list and bill of lading, and collected the money on bank accounts in Europe (Salmon Business). Use these checks with any supplier, including us.

1. Company registry. Check the company in its national registry. For a Polish company, the KRS court register and the EU VIES VAT check are free and public. ATC Group sp. z o.o. is KRS 0001021069, VAT PL8982289583.
2. Bank account. The beneficiary name must be the company you contract with, in its own country. Refuse a "new account" sent by email. Call a known number to confirm.
3. Plant approval number. Ask for the plant number before shipment. Check it in the official list of the origin country, or in the EU TRACES lists for non-EU plants exporting to Europe.
4. Container and B/L. Track the container number and bill of lading on the carrier's own website, not through a link sent by the seller.
5. Independent inspection. Ask for an SGS or Bureau Veritas inspection before loading, with photos of open cartons, core temperature and the container seal.
6. Payment terms. We work by irrevocable letter of credit at sight or bank transfer (TT), according to the terms agreed in each contract. A letter of credit lets your bank check documents before payment.
7. Start with one container. One full container is our minimum order. Test the supplier on one, then scale.

12. Frequently asked questions

What is titus fish? Titus is the Nigerian market name for frozen mackerel. It can be Atlantic mackerel (Scomber scombrus) or, more often at mass-market prices, chub mackerel (S. colias or S. japonicus). Ask for the Latin name on the contract and certificate.

What is kote fish? Kote is horse mackerel, called chinchard in Côte d'Ivoire and Cameroon. The main species are Trachurus trachurus (Mauritania, Morocco), T. murphyi (Chile, Peru) and T. capensis (Namibia).

Which mackerel size sells best in West Africa? Most buyers ask for whole round fish around 200–300 g or 300–500 g, or 16+ to 25+ cm for horse mackerel. Smoking customers prefer larger, fatter fish. Contract in grams, centimetres and pieces per kg.

How many cartons fit in a 40ft reefer? About 1,300 to 1,350 cartons of 20 kg or 870 to 900 cartons of 30 kg, for about 26 t net (25 to 27.5 t depending on product and packing).

When is mackerel fattest? North-East Atlantic mackerel is fattest in autumn, September to November, with fat up to about 30%. It is leanest in late winter and spring.

Why is Atlantic mackerel so expensive in 2026? The scientific advice for 2026 was cut by almost 70%, and the agreed TAC fell to 299,010 t among four coastal states. Norwegian export prices are at record levels.

What documents does Nigeria require for frozen fish? An annual import licence from the fisheries department, NAFDAC's authorisation to open Form M, Form M through your bank, the origin health certificate, invoice, packing list and bill of lading. Land-border imports are not allowed.

Can you combine mackerel and horse mackerel in one container? Yes. A reefer can carry several compatible frozen products, for example mackerel, horse mackerel and sardinella, as long as each lot has its own documents and labels.

Request an offer

Send us the species, size grade, carton type, number of containers and your discharge port. We reply within 24 business hours with availability and terms.

• Online form: /enquiry
• WhatsApp: +48 501 351 121
• More answers: FAQ

Sources

All pages were consulted in October 2026.

Quotas, prices and market

• SeafoodSource, ICES pelagic advice for 2026 (2 October 2025): https://www.seafoodsource.com/news/supply-trade/ices-pelagic-advice-for-2026-deeply-worries-northeast-atlantic-fishing-operations
• Scottish Government, Coastal States agreed record 2026, mackerel: https://www.gov.scot/publications/management-of-shared-fish-stocks-coastal-state-agreed-records-2026/pages/mackerel/
• Baird Maritime, Europêche on the 2026 mackerel deal (18 December 2025): https://www.bairdmaritime.com/amp/story/fishing/regulation-enforcement/europeche-slams-new-eu-mackerel-agreement-for-rewarding-overfishing
• Baird Maritime, ICES 2027 mackerel advice (1 October 2026): https://www.bairdmaritime.com/fishing/regulation-enforcement/northeast-atlantic-mackerel-advice-2027
• FAO GLOBEFISH, High mackerel prices redirect Asian small pelagic trade (27 May 2026): https://www.fao.org/in-action/globefish/news-events/news/news-detail/high-mackerel-prices-redirect-asian-small-pelagic-trade/en
• FAO GLOBEFISH, European Fish Price Report, May 2026 (copy hosted by CEIPA): https://ceipa.com.ec/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/cd9941en-1-comprimido.pdf
• IndexBox, Norway frozen mackerel exports week 41 2026, from Norwegian Seafood Council data (14 October 2026): https://www.indexbox.io/blog/norway-frozen-mackerel-exports-week-41-2026-volumes-fall-prices-rise/
• Undercurrent News, 2026 global pelagics supply (18 March 2026): https://www.undercurrentnews.com/2026/03/18/atlantic-mackerel-quota-crash-to-drive-4-dip-in-2026-global-pelagics-supply/
• SPRFMO, COMM14 report (2026): https://sprfmo.int/assets/Meetings/01-COMM/14th-Commission-2026/Reports/COMM14-Report-with-annexes.pdf
• Daily Post Vanuatu, jack mackerel quota 2026 (10 March 2026): https://www.dailypost.vu/news/vanuatus-jack-mackerel-quota-rises-again/article_1e13fc2f-c706-5a8f-97fd-84c90f49de06.html
• Reporte Minero, Chilean exports January 2026 (ProChile data): https://www.reporteminero.cl/noticia/noticias/2026/02/exportaciones-chile-no-cobre-no-litio-enero-2026-africa-jurel-servicios
• El Desconcierto, Chilean jack mackerel shipment to Togo (1 February 2024): https://eldesconcierto.cl/2024/02/01/primer-envio-de-jurel-chileno-zarpa-desde-coquimbo-a-africa-le-sigue-otro-de-jibia

Seasons, species and quality

• Norwegian Fishermen's Sales Organisation for Pelagic Fish, six reasons to choose Norwegian mackerel: https://sildelaget.no/en/all-news-articles/six-reasons-to-choose-norwegian-mackerel
• Seafood from Norway, one of a kind mackerel: https://www.fromnorway.com/stories-from-norway/you-get-the-best-possible-seafood/one-of-a-kind-mackerel/
• Fiskerforum, Iceland's mackerel season (1 August 2020): https://fiskerforum.com/icelands-mackerel-season-takes-off/
• Le360, small pelagic fishing resumes in Morocco (22 February 2026): https://fr.le360.ma/economie/la-peche-des-petits-pelagiques-reprend_NMVIWQY7DFHLZHB4DNC2CT5IV4/
• AllAfrica, CSRP proposal on sardinella closures (February 2026): https://fr.allafrica.com/stories/202602130419.html
• CGTN, end of China's 2026 summer fishing moratorium (17 August 2026): https://news.cgtn.com/news/2026-08-17/China-s-fishing-boats-return-to-sea-as-summer-moratorium-ends-1PG6iwhzGg0/share_amp.html
• SeafoodSource, CECAF study on North-West African small pelagics (11 December 2024): https://www.seafoodsource.com/news/supply-trade/new-study-calls-for-a-60-percent-reduction-in-fishing-of-small-pelagic-species-off-the-coast-of-north-west-africa
• FishBase, Scomber scombrus: https://www.fishbase.se/Summary/Scomber-scombrus ; Scomber colias: https://www.fishbase.se/Summary/Scomber-colias ; Trachurus trachurus: https://www.fishbase.se/Summary/Trachurus-trachurus ; Trachurus murphyi: https://www.fishbase.se/Summary/Trachurus-murphyi
• Codex Standard 165-1989 (glazing and net weight): https://alimentosargentinos.magyp.gob.ar/contenido/marco/Codex_Alimentarius/normativa/fao/cx_165e.pdf
• French Ministry of Agriculture, DGAL instruction 2014-1062 (histamine criteria under Regulation 2073/2005): https://info.agriculture.gouv.fr/boagri/instruction-2014-1062/telechargement
• FIATA, EU CATCH system from 10 January 2026: https://fiata.org/n/alert-the-eu-catch-system-will-enter-into-force-on-10-january/
• European Commission, non-EU countries authorised establishments: https://food.ec.europa.eu/food-safety/biological-safety/food-hygiene/non-eu-countries-authorised-establishments_en
• 9jafoodie, Nigerian fish names: https://9jafoodie.com/?p=12895
• CorpSignals, HS 030354 (mackerel, frozen): https://corpsignals.uk/hscode/030354.html ; HS 030355 (jack and horse mackerel, frozen): https://corpsignals.uk/hscode/030355.html
• The Guardian Nigeria, fake Titus fish (2 June 2019): https://guardian.ng/features/influx-of-fake-titus-fish-troubles-farmers-marketers/
• Salmon Business, fake mackerel container to Ghana (30 June 2020): https://salmonbusiness.com/salmon-processor-dragged-into-fraud-case

Trade data

• WITS, Nigeria frozen mackerel imports 2023: https://wits.worldbank.org/trade/comtrade/en/country/NGA/year/2023/tradeflow/Imports/partner/ALL/product/030374
• WITS, Nigeria 2024: https://wits.worldbank.org/trade/comtrade/en/country/NGA/year/2024/tradeflow/Imports/partner/ALL/product/030374
• WITS, Côte d'Ivoire 2023: https://wits.worldbank.org/trade/comtrade/en/country/CIV/year/2023/tradeflow/Imports/partner/ALL/product/030374
• WITS, Côte d'Ivoire other frozen fish 2023: https://wits.worldbank.org/trade/comtrade/en/country/CIV/year/2023/tradeflow/Imports/partner/ALL/product/030379
• WITS, Ghana 2023: https://wits.worldbank.org/trade/comtrade/en/country/GHA/year/2023/tradeflow/Imports/partner/ALL/product/030374
• WITS, Cameroon 2023: https://wits.worldbank.org/trade/comtrade/en/country/CMR/year/2023/tradeflow/Imports/partner/ALL/product/030374
• WITS, Cameroon other frozen fish 2023: https://wits.worldbank.org/trade/comtrade/en/country/CMR/year/2023/tradeflow/Imports/partner/ALL/product/030379
• Ecofin Agency, Côte d'Ivoire food imports 2024 (13 November 2025): https://www.ecofinagency.com/news-agriculture/1311-50437-cote-d-ivoire-spent-3-8b-on-food-imports-in-2024-led-by-rice-and-fish
• Cameroun24, frozen fish imports 2025 (INS data): https://cameroun24.net/article/73542-poisson-congele-le-cameroun-importe-267-259-tonnes-en-2025-et-alourdit-sa-facture-a-230-8-milliards-fcfa.html
• Business in Cameroon, frozen fish imports 2024 (9 October 2025): https://www.businessincameroon.com/economy/0910-15169-cameroon-spent-cfa167-3bn-on-207-092-tons-of-frozen-fish-imports-in-2024
• FAO GLOBEFISH, Ghana market profile (2026 edition): https://www.fao.org/media/docs/globefishlibraries/profiles-2023/ghana_globefish-market-profile_2023.pdf

Import regulations

• NAFDAC, Guidelines for Issuance of Authorization to Open Form M: https://www.policyvault.africa/wp-content/uploads/policy/NGA322.pdf
• Blueprint, digitisation of fish import licences (3 February 2026): https://blueprint.ng/minister-approves-digitalisation-of-fish-import-license/
• Sweetcrude Reports, fish import licences (6 March 2021): https://sweetcrudereports.com/nigeria-govt-approves-39-licenses-out-of-200-applicants-for-fish-importation
• The Fish Site, Nigeria import quota policy (23 April 2014): https://thefishsite.com/articles/nigeria-begins-import-quota-policy-for-fish
• Ripples Nigeria, land-border frozen fish imports (9 March 2017): https://www.ripplesnigeria.com/fg-seal-cold-rooms-imported-frozen-fish
• Gazette Nigeria, NAFDAC on banned frozen products (29 November 2024): https://gazettengr.com/nafdac-warns-frozen-food-dealers-against-sale-of-unregistered-products/
• Shipping Position, Nigeria fish demand (14 June 2022): https://shippingposition.com.ng/nigeria-imports-2-4-million-metric-tonnes-fish-annually-fg/
• Ghana FDA, import guideline for frozen meat, fish and shellfish (2 July 2025): https://fdaghana.gov.gh/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/GUIDELINE-FOR-IMPORT_FROZEN-MEAT_SHELLFISH_AQUATIC-INVERTEBRATES.pdf
• Ghana Fisheries and Aquaculture Act 2025 (Act 1146): https://www.judy.legal/legislation/akn/gh/act/2025/1146
• GUCE Côte d'Ivoire, certificat de salubrité: https://gucecotedivoire.ci/pwic/wp-content/uploads/GUIDE_INTERACTIF/DOCUMENTS/CER002_CERTIF_SALUBRITE_IM_.pdf
• Afrique-sur7, compensatory duties on fish imports in Côte d'Ivoire (4 April 2025): https://www.afrique-sur7.fr/cote-divoire-impose-des-droits-de-taxe
• EcoMatin, fish imports and MINEPIA in Cameroon (7 December 2021): https://ecomatin.net/le-requisitoire-du-geant-congelcam-contre-letat-et-ses-concurrents-sur-le-marche-des-importations-de-poissons
• SGS, Cameroon PECAE datasheet: https://www.sgs.com/-/media/sgscorp/documents/corporate/brochures/sgs-gis-pca-cameroun-datasheet-fr-21-v18.cdn.en.pdf