In the first half of 2024, Cameroon imported 112,000 tons of fish worth 86.4 billion FCFA, according to the Ministry of Finance. This volume represents a decline of 14,800 tons (-13%) compared to the 126,800 tons recorded during the same period in 2023, while the import bill decreased by 11.3 billion FCFA.This downward trend is part of the Integrated Plan for Agro-Pastoral and Fisheries Import Substitution (Piisah) 2024-2027, which aims to reduce the country's dependence on fish imports from 31% to 15% by the end of 2025. To achieve this, several initiatives were launched in 2024, including the revision of the regulatory frameworks for fishing and aquaculture, the construction of infrastructure for conservation and transportation, and increased support for sector stakeholders. These actions are part of a four-year plan to revive the agro-pastoral sector, with a budget of 680 billion FCFA, aiming to increase national fish production to 600,000 tons by 2027, up from the current 225,000 tons.

Despite these efforts, Cameroon still faces an estimated annual production deficit of 500,000 tons. Increasing local supply remains a crucial challenge to meet growing demand and reduce the food import bill. According to figures compiled by the National Institute of Statistics, the country spent 761.2 billion FCFA to import 1,043,916 tons of frozen fish between 2018 and 2022. In 2022, the peak import volume was reached with 241,933 tons of fish purchased for 202.6 billion FCFA, accounting for 4.1% of the country's total imports, valued at 4,911.3 billion FCFA that year.

 Christelle koambi