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MOGADISHU, 27 October 2026 — Somalia could catch up to 800,000 tonnes of tuna a year, worth an estimated $1 billion to $2 billion, the director general of the fisheries ministry, Abdi Dirshe, said on Monday.
Speaking at Somalia’s National Fisheries Week, Dirshe said marine resources were the first opportunity investors could take advantage of. He said the 800,000-tonne figure referred to tuna alone and did not include other species.
“Somalia is the country with the longest coastline and the most resources in all of Africa,” Dirshe said.
He said investors could also make money from fishing boats. Someone who bought 10 to 20 boats could earn millions of dollars, he said, adding that there were also opportunities in building and repairing boats.
Dirshe said the country needed large cold storage facilities because fish spoil quickly once they are taken from the sea. Without refrigeration, he said, their quality and safety deteriorate and they can no longer be eaten.
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Anyone who built a cold store with a capacity of 1,000 tonnes could make good money, he said, because many people could use it.
He added that there were further opportunities in logistics, such as bringing in refrigerated trucks to carry fish from the coast to other areas, and opening large fish shops with their own refrigeration.
Fish still make up a small share of Somalia’s exports. According to trade data, fish and other seafood account for about 5% of the country’s goods exports, while live animals make up the largest share.
According to Central Bank of Somalia data, livestock accounted for about 73% of goods exports in 2025, worth $923 million, out of total goods exports of $1.26 billion.