NUTRITIONAL COMPOSITION AND COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF LATES NILOTICUS (NILE PERCH) AND BARBODES BINOTATUS (SPOTTED BARB) FROM TUNGAN KAWO RESERVOIR, KONTAGORA, NIGER STATE, NIGERIA

Fish is a critical component of global food security and human nutrition, providing high-quality protein, essential fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals. Despite its importance, comprehensive nutritional data for locally consumed fish species in many Nigerian freshwater reservoirs remain limited. This study assessed and compared the proximate and mineral composition of two commonly consumed fish species, Lates niloticus (Nile Perch, family Latidae) and Barbodes binotatus (Spotted Barb, family Cyprinidae), from Tungan Kawo Reservoir, Kontagora, Niger State, Nigeria. Seventy individual specimens per species (n = 70; N = 140 total) were collected between 06:00 A.M and 09:00 A.M using gill nets and transported on ice to the laboratory. Proximate composition (moisture, ash, fat, crude protein, crude fibre, carbohydrate) was determined using standard method while five macro-minerals (phosphorus, potassium, sodium, calcium, magnesium) were quantified by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Data were analysed by Welch's independent samples t-test in R Studio. Highly significant interspecies variation was observed for all eleven parameters measured (p < 0.001). B. binotatus exhibited a superior nutritional profile, with significantly higher crude protein (60.33 ± 1.42%), total fat (18.39 ± 0.55%), total ash (2.10 ± 0.09%), crude fibre (0.95 ± 0.05%), and elevated concentrations of all five minerals analysed, including calcium (116.87 ± 4.10 mg/100 g), phosphorus (164.69 ± 5.20 mg/100 g), potassium (312.85 ± 9.10 mg/100 g), magnesium (139.31 ± 4.65 mg/100 g), and sodium (104.13 ± 3.30 mg/100 g). Conversely, L. niloticus demonstrated a significantly higher carbohydrate content (19.12 ± 0.95%) and lower moisture (8.32 ± 0.18%) than B. binotatus (10.52 ± 0.24%). The findings revealed that B. binotatus as a nutritionally superior species, particularly valuable for addressing protein-energy malnutrition and mineral deficiencies in vulnerable populations. The study underscores the importance of species-specific nutritional data for informed dietary choices, public-health policy, and sustainable fisheries management. Future investigations should expand the analytical scope to include fatty acid profiles (EPA and DHA) and vitamin assays.