Shem Oirere is a Kenyan journalist who previously worked for daily newspapers as a general news correspondent, business reporter and sub-editor before turning to full-time freelancing. For the more than 20 years, he has covered various sectors of Africa’s economy including agriculture, food processing, and maritime industries. A graduate of the University of South Africa, he has traveled within and outside Africa covering various industry events that have a bearing on the continent’s economy on behalf of different international consumer and trade publications. He currently lives in Nairobi, Kenya.
Author Archive
Published on
February 9, 2026
Cyrus Saygbe has officially been confirmed as the director general of Liberia’s National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority (NaFAA) after serving in the role with an interim tag for 11 months.
“With a heart full of gratitude and humility, I extend my sincere thanks to His Excellency, the President of the Republic of Liberia, for the confidence reposed in me and for the unwavering support to the fisheries and aquaculture sector,” Saygbe… Read More
Published on
February 9, 2026
The African Development Bank (AfDB) has approved a USD 22 million (EUR 18.4 million) grant to support a fisheries project in São Tomé and Príncipe that pushes the island nation closer to achieving its seafood production goals.
The project has several components, including the rehabilitation of multipurpose fish landing wharves, improving small-scale fishing boats, and enhancing cold storage capabilities.
For instance, the multipurpose fishing… Read More
Published on
February 3, 2026
Nigeria’s Federal Department of Veterinary and Pest Control Services has warned that the country's aquaculture industry is at risk of collapse due to fish farmers ignoring expert advice on the use of antibiotics.
In early January, during a forum in the West African nation’s capital of Lagos, Nigeria Chief Veterinary Officer Samuel Anzaku told aquaculturists that the country’s aquaculture industry – the largest in Sub-Saharan Africa,… Read More
Published on
January 27, 2026
Ongoing reforms within Morocco’s aquaculture sector helped open up over USD 1 billion (EUR 854 million) in investment opportunities in 2025, according to the World Bank.
In a recent report, the World Bank said that Morocco is steadily progressing toward achieving 300,000 metric tons (MT) of aquaculture production and 30,000 jobs within the sector over the next decade.
Driving that steady growth have been carefully crafted aquaculture… Read More
Published on
January 22, 2026
Spanish seafood firm Nueva Pescanova has announced intentions to sell its Mozambique subsidiary Grupo Pescamar as shrimp biomass off the coast of the Southeast African country continues to dwindle.
Reports have indicated for several years that the sustainability of the Mozambican shallow-water shrimp fishery has been under threat from overfishing, rapid and uncontrolled expansion of the artisanal fishing subsector, deployment of destructive… Read More
Published on
January 20, 2026
Morocco has announced an indefinite ban on exports of frozen sardines starting 1 February as the nation’s government moves to address dwindling numbers of the pelagic species, as well as its subsequent soaring prices in the domestic market.
Seafood industry representative groups like the National Union of Canned Fish Industries (UNICOP) have voiced concern over falling supply for a few years now.
UNICOP sent out a report in 2024 that landing… Read More
Published on
January 6, 2026
Khazaen, Oman-based Omani Bio Products Company (OBPC) has launched operations at its new OMR 37 million (USD 96 million, EUR 82 million) aquafeed manufacturing plant, which utilizes agricultural waste as feedstock to produce, before any expansion plans are undertaken, up to 15,000 metric tons (MT) of aquafeed annually.
OBPC will source an estimated 100 tons of green agricultural waste daily from the Barka landfill – the largest landfill in… Read More
Published on
December 26, 2025
Tanzania’s new president, Samia Suluhu, has appointed Bashiru Kakurwa as the nation’s new fisheries minister.
The appointment came among a slew of moves made soon after Suluhu was sworn into office, having been declared winner of the nation’s 29 October disputed election after securing nearly 98 percent of the votes.
Kakurwa, a former political science professor at the University of Dar es Salaam who has also served as the chief secretary… Read More
Published on
December 18, 2025
The West African nations of Mauritania and Senegal have signed a bridge fishing agreement as their respective governments continue working on securing a long-term deal.
Negotiations on the longer-term deal, seeking to replace the most recent agreement between the two countries that expired in July, have hit several snags, including sustainability concerns regarding Mauritanian marine fisheries and a new push by Senegal to increase permits… Read More
Published on
December 17, 2025
Iran exported USD 451 million (EUR 384 million) worth of seafood products from April to October this year, which was up about 30 percent compared to the same period last year, according to the Iran Fisheries Organization (IFO).
By volume during the period, the Middle Eastern nation shipped 243,000 metric tons (MT) of seafood abroad.
IFO Head Hamzeh Rostampour attributed the spike in exports to government commitments made toward addressing… Read More
