Egypt is the leading aquaculture producer in Africa, generating 1.6 million tons of fish annually, valued at US$3.5 billion.
By Blue Africa News
Aquaculture sector players in Egypt are set for a major economic boost, after the North African nation secured approval to export aquaculture products to the European Union (EU).
The announcement made by Egypt’s National Food Safety Authority (NFSA) on April 29, 2026, came on the backdrop of years of technical preparations trained on aligning domestic production with stringent EU food safety requirements.
NFSA said the decision is set for formal adoption in the third quarter of 2026, paving the way for aquaculture producers in the area to access the European market.
According to NFSA, the approval covers finfish and crustaceans, opening access for Africa’s largest aquaculture producer to one of the world’s largest seafood import markets.
However, all the hard work does not end with approval. NFSA said in a statement that Egypt is now preparing technical documentation and guarantees for composite food products containing ingredients such as dairy or other animal-derived components, ahead of further regulatory amendments later this year.
“This development reflects the growing confidence in Egypt’s food safety system and confirms the state’s commitment to applying the highest standards of quality and food safety, which supports national exports and contributes to enhancing economic growth,” the Authority stated as quoted by weareaquaculture.com.
Several African countries are authorised to export wild-caught fish such as Nile perch from Lake Victoria, the stringent, distinct regulations for farmed products—specifically regarding residue control plans for veterinary medicines, mean that only a few African nations have attained this specific certification.
Uganda in February 2026 received EU approval to export farmed finfish such as tilapia and catfish, following a 6-year effort to meet sanitary standards, while South Africa became the first African country to achieve the feat in January 2024, after landing approval to export molluscs and marine gastropods from its aquaculture facilities.
Egypt, according to WorldFish, is the leading aquaculture producer in Africa, generating 1.6 million tons of fish annually, valued at US$3.5 billion. Notably, aquaculture accounts for 80% of fish production, primarily from private farms.
With the sector employing approximately 300,000 people, Egypt sees a resilient aquatic foods sector as essential for economic stability and addressing issues like food insecurity, gender inequality, unemployment, and malnutrition.
WorldFish has operated a regional research and training center in the country since 1997, supporting aquaculture development in Egypt and Africa through innovations such as climate-smart systems.
Tilapia is the most farmed fish species in the world and key initiatives in Egypt include genetic improvement which entails further development of the Abbassa strain of Nile tilapia, feed research focused on developing new feed ingredients, improving feed efficiency, and providing best management practice training. Other initiatives include a focus on fish health which is hinged on investigating new disease issues affecting Egyptian fish farms and improving fish markets.
Oliver Ochieng, Blue Africa News