Rwanda's fishing sector grew by 66 per cent in the first quarter of 2026, up from 22 per cent in the corresponding period of 2025, according to the latest data from the National Institute of Statistics Rwanda (NISR).

The latest figures indicate a dramatic turnaround for an industry that struggled for nearly two years.

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Between late 2022 and mid-2024, the fishing sector consistently recorded negative growth, reflecting declining output and challenging operating conditions.

Growth slowed from 4 per cent in the first quarter of 2022 to zero growth in the third quarter of the same year before slipping into contraction.

The downturn deepened throughout 2023, reaching minus 10 per cent in the fourth quarter.

The sector remained in negative territory during the first half of 2024.

However, signs of recovery began to emerge in the second half of 2024. Growth returned to positive territory at 1 per cent in the third quarter before accelerating to 12 per cent in the final quarter of the year.

The recovery gathered momentum throughout 2025. The sector grew by 22 per cent in the first quarter, 18 per cent in the second quarter, 34 per cent in the third quarter, and 54 per cent in the fourth quarter.

By the first quarter of 2026, growth had climbed further to 66 per cent, highlighting a significant expansion in fishing and aquaculture activities.

The rebound suggests that efforts to increase fish production are beginning to bear fruit.

The sector&039;s contribution has grown steadily over the past two years, rising from Rwf11 billion in the first quarter of 2024 to Rwf13 billion in the first quarter of 2025 and Rwf27 billion in the first quarter of 2026.

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Drivers of growth

According to Cécile Uwizeyimana, an aquaculture specialist at the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources, the growth was largely driven by the continued expansion of tilapia cage aquaculture, which attracted substantial private investment and increased production capacity on major lakes.

"There were investments in large-scale hatcheries, which improved the availability of quality fingerlings for aquaculture producers, and increased access to quality fish feed, which led to better growth performance and higher production yields,” she said.

Uwizeyimana added that support was provided to farmers through the Kwihaza Project, including farmer training and dissemination of improved aquaculture practices through model farmers and facilitators, improved access to finance, and strengthened farm management.

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She added that other factors included ongoing technical assistance and capacity-building initiatives that enhanced production efficiency and sustainability, strengthened fisheries co-management systems,

On the other hand, efforts were intensified to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, helping to protect fish stocks and support sustainable production.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture, the strong performance of aquaculture is consistent with long-term sector trends. Between 2000 and 2024, aquaculture production grew at an average annual rate of 16.6 per cent, compared with 7.9 per cent for capture fisheries.

More recently, from 2022 to 2024, aquaculture growth accelerated to 21.5 per cent per year, while capture fisheries grew by 3.1 per cent, underscoring the increasing contribution of aquaculture to national fish production.

Tilapia contributed the largest share of growth, as it remains the dominant aquaculture species in Rwanda.

"Capture fisheries also made a significant contribution, particularly through increased sardine production from Lake Kivu," Uwizeyimana explained.

Growth forecast

Rwanda aims to increase national fish production from approximately 10,000 metric tonnes in 2024/25 to 30,000 metric tonnes by 2029, and Uwizeyimana believes the sector has strong potential to sustain its growth trajectory over the coming years.

Future growth is expected to be supported by the continued expansion of cage aquaculture systems, increased production of tilapia and catfish, and adoption of modern aquaculture technologies and improved farming practices.

The government plans to continue providing quality fingerlings and fish feed, provide technical support to farmers, as well as improve access to finance.

What investors say

Emmanuel Bahizi, Managing Director of Kivu Choice, said the rapid growth of Rwanda&039;s aquaculture sector demonstrates what is possible when innovation, investment and a strong commitment to food security come together.

ALSO READ: Kivu Choice launches Rwanda’s first 30-metre tilapia cage farms

"We increased production by more than 30 per cent in the first quarter of 2026 and are on track for a further 46 per cent growth in the second quarter. Today, we produce approximately 800 metric tonnes of fish each month, contributing more than half of the country's farmed fresh fish,” he said.

"Our ambition extends beyond increasing production. We are committed to helping build a more food-secure Rwanda by making nutritious, affordable protein accessible to every household while creating jobs and economic opportunities throughout the value chain," he added.

The company aims to increase production from 9,000 tonnes to 30,000 tonnes annually by 2029, while expanding its workforce from 700 to 1,200 employees.

Regional investment group Victory Group, which owns Kivu Choice, recently said it secured $15 million from AgDevCo to expand tilapia farming operations in Rwanda and Kenya.

Farmers report rising production

Themistocles Munyangeyo, a fish farmer rearing tilapia in floating cages on Lakes Kivu and Muhazi, said production has risen significantly.

"We have already reached in the first six months of 2026 almost the same production volume that we achieved during the whole of 2025," he told The New Times.

His farm produced 1,950 tonnes in 2025. In the first six months of 2026 alone, production had already reached 1,600 tonnes.

Issa Gahimana, a fisherman from Rubavu District who operates on Lake Kivu, said intensified efforts to curb illegal fishing have significantly boosted sardine production.

"I used to catch only 10 kilogrammes per day, but now I can catch up to 20 kilogrammes,” he said.

Gahimana explained that illegal fishing nets often trap immature sardines before they can reproduce, disrupting the species’ breeding cycle and threatening long-term fish stocks.

"We now use fishing nets with a mesh size of 9–10 millimetres,” he said. "Illegal nets are those with smaller mesh sizes, such as 5.4 millimetres and 4.3 millimetres, because they catch immature fish,” he noted.

Ambitious targets

New investments in tilapia farming are expected to raise Rwanda's per capita fish consumption from about 7.2 kilogrammes in 2025 to 9 kilogrammes by 2030 and 9.8 kilogrammes by 2035.

Around 10 kilogrammes of fish per person per year is considered sufficient to provide basic health benefits, while the global average stands at 16.6 kilogrammes, a level Rwanda is still working towards.

The National Aquaculture Strategy (2023–2035) aims to make aquaculture the country's primary source of fish, targeting nearly 80,000 tonnes of sustainable production.

Overall, Rwanda could produce more than 106,000 tonnes of fish annually by 2035, including approximately 80,620 tonnes from aquaculture and 26,000 tonnes from capture fisheries.