Contamination of feed and food with aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) is a prevalent issue in the tropical and subtropical regions. This contamination is exacerbated by environmental conditions that favour fungal proliferation and mycotoxin production, particularly affecting aquaculture because of the industry’s vast use of plant-based feedstuffs. AFB1 contamination in tilapia feed leads to diminished fish health, reduced productivity, economic losses, and potential health risks to human consumers. While mitigation strategies exist, more effective, safe, and affordable solutions are needed. This study investigated the efficacy of Chisumbanje Vertisol, natural clay found in Zimbabwe, as an AFB1 adsorbent in Nile tilapia feed. Laboratory tests assessed the effects of clay inclusions (0%, 2.5%, and 5%) on pellet physical quality. For growth response, a seven-week feeding trial was conducted on Nile tilapia juveniles (20 ± 1g) using six treatment diets: Basal diet + no additive (Diet 1), Basal diet + 200ppb AFB1 (Diet 2), Basal diet + 2.5% Clay (Diet 3), Basal diet + 5% Clay (Diet 4), Basal diet + 2.5% Clay+200ppb AFB1 (Diet 5), Basal diet + 5% Clay+200ppb AFB1 (Diet 6). The results showed significant (P<0.05) improvements in pellet physical quality with the inclusion of clay. Specifically, the 5% clay treatment exhibited the highest bulk density (0.39±0.01 g/mL), percentage floatability (73.10±0.41 after 35min), and durability (96.12±0.65%). Growth performance metrics (FBW, NWG, ADG, and SGR) were signicantly higher (P<0.05) in fish fed 5% clay diets (Table 1). Moreover, the combination of 5% clay and 200ppb AFB1 showed significantly (P<0.05) better growth parameters than diets without clay inclusion, indicating the protective role of clay against aflatoxicity. FCR and survival rate were unaffected (P>0.05) across treatments (Table 1). Overall, Chisumbanje Vertisol at 5% inclusion improves pellet physical quality and promotes better growth performance in Nile tilapia, offering a natural solution for the mitigation of AFB1 toxicity in aquaculture.