A new report by the World Wildlife Foundation (WWF) published on July 10, 2025, warns that 26 per cent of Africa’s assessed freshwater fish species are threatened with extinction due to a variety of factors.
The report, titled Africa’s Forgotten Fishes: And the Emergency Recovery Plan to Save Them, cited overfishing, habitat destruction, pollution, climate change and invasive species as some of the factors threatening the continent’s over 3,200 known fish species, 28 of which were discovered last year.
According to the report, freshwater fish populations are in freefall across the African continent. The report gave the example of the Zambezi floodplain, where catches of key species have dropped by up to 90 per cent. At the same time, it said Lake Malawi’s iconic ‘chambo’ tilapia, a staple food and national symbol featured on the Malawian Kwacha, has declined by 94 per cent.
“Africa is a global hotspot of freshwater fish diversity, home to over 3,200 species, but it’s also a hotspot of risk,” said Eric Oyare, WWF Africa Freshwater Lead. “When these fish disappear, we lose much more than species: we lose food and nutrition security, livelihoods, ecosystem balance, and adaptive capacities to climate change. These declines are a red flag for the broader health of Africa’s freshwater ecosystems, which are the very life support systems for people and nature.”
The landmark report brings together the latest science, policy insights, and on-the-ground examples to spotlight the ecological, economic and cultural importance of Africa’s freshwater fishes and the urgent action needed to protect them. It highlights the role of these species in food security, climate resilience, and biodiversity, while calling for the implementation of a six-point Emergency Recovery Plan for Freshwater Biodiversity.
Though it says the true number of species under threat could be much higher due to significant data gaps, the new report highlights extraordinary species such as the African lungfish, which breathes air and can survive years buried in mud during droughts; a blind cichlid from the Congo Basin adapted to life in underground aquatic caves; the ancient bichirs, often referred to as “living fossils” for their lineage that predates the dinosaurs; and the formidable African tigerfish, a fast-swimming predator renowned for its powerful jaws and hunting skills.
Freshwater fishes play a vital role in maintaining the health of aquatic ecosystems, acting as predators, herbivores and nutrient recyclers. They are also the backbone of inland fisheries that support millions of African households, especially the most vulnerable.
The report warned that these lifelines are collapsing under the weight of multiple threats that include habitat destruction from dams, deforestation, mining, and land conversion; pollution from agriculture, urban areas and industry; invasive species and overfishing, including destructive gear like mosquito nets; and climate change, which alters rainfall patterns, dries out rivers and heats lakes.
“The disappearance of freshwater fish is not just a biodiversity crisis, it is a direct threat to food, livelihoods and cultural identity for millions across Africa. These species are the backbone of local economies and daily life. To protect them, we must restore and reconnect the rivers and wetlands that sustain both nature and people,” said Machaya Chomba, Africa Freshwater Protection Manager at The Nature Conservancy (TNC), which helped produce the report alongside other partner organisations.
In the face of this threat, the WWF urged African governments and stakeholders to adopt the Emergency Recovery Plan for Freshwater Biodiversity.
This is a science-based, practical roadmap that has been developed by leading experts to restore the health of freshwater ecosystems and the communities that rely on them. The plan outlines six urgent actions:
Let rivers flow more naturally
Improve water quality in freshwater ecosystems
Protect and restore critical habitats and species
End unsustainable resource use
Prevent and control invasive non-native species
Safeguard free-flowing rivers and remove obsolete barriers
“These six pillars have all individually been implemented successfully in countries around the world. With bold leadership, African countries can adapt them to local contexts, helping secure freshwater biodiversity for generations to come,” Oyare said.
However, it is not all gloom as the report also shines light on some cases of hope. Community-led conservation efforts are showing success in Tanzania, Zambia, Namibia, and beyond, protecting breeding zones, co-managing fisheries, and restoring degraded habitats. New global frameworks, like the Freshwater Challenge, now joined by 20 African countries, offer a path forward.
“It’s time we stopped treating freshwater fishes as an afterthought,” said Nancy Rapando, WWF Africa Food Futures Lead. “They are central to Africa’s biodiversity, development and future. We must act now before the rivers dry out.”
The report has been published in the lead-up to a major global wetlands conference in Zimbabwe, where countries will set the course for safeguarding and restoring vital freshwater ecosystems. The Ramsar COP15, formally known as the 15th Conference of the Contracting Parties to the Convention on Wetlands (COP15), will take place from July 23-31 in the resort town of Victoria Falls. It will bring together governments, scientists and conservationists to tackle the rising threats facing freshwater ecosystems and chart a path toward more sustainable management.
Experts say this provides African countries with a unique opportunity to lead by example by putting freshwater ecosystems and fish at the heart of conservation and development decisions.
“The future of Africa’s rivers and fishes is inseparable from the future of its people,” said Itai Chibaya, WWF Zimbabwe Country Director. “We need bold action at Ramsar COP15 to restore the life support systems of this continent, starting with our forgotten freshwater ecosystems.”
The report was produced in collaboration with Alliance for Freshwater Life, Conservation International, Freshwater Research Centre, International Water Management Institute (IWMI), Freshwater Life, InFish, IUCN SSC, NatureMetrics, Re:wild, SHOAL, South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity (SAIAB), The Nature Conservancy, WorldFish, Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust, and Wetlands International.