Annual post-harvest losses estimated at N3.5trn

•Stakeholders advocate cold chain systems as solution

Agriculture in Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country, continues to suffer massive setbacks due to annual post-harvest losses currently estimated at N3.5 trillion.

This enormous loss not only worsens food insecurity but also affects the livelihoods of countless farmers and the overall economy.

In response to this, experts and stakeholders in the agricultural sector are calling for intensified efforts through cold chain solutions to address the crisis, which, according to the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), affects as much as 50 percent of harvested crops.

This call was made during the Cold Chain in Agriculture Roundtable 2025, organised by Ecotutu, a company known for its expertise in cold chain solutions.

According to the experts, the widespread food spoilage is largely due to inadequate storage facilities, inefficient transportation systems, limited access to preservation technologies, and a critical lack of cold chain infrastructure.

Prince S.J. Samuel, Executive Chairman of Origin Group, in his keynote address, highlighted that Nigeria’s agriculture is plagued by weak linkages leading to post-harvest losses.

“Nigeria is among the top countries producing tomatoes, yam, cassava, and citrus in Africa, yet logistics infrastructure, especially cold chain, is underdeveloped or non-existent in many value chains,” he said.

Samuel, who was represented by Olusesan Ayeni, Director at Origin Tech, stressed that the cold chain must be treated as core infrastructure, just as vital as roads or electricity, for ensuring food security, enabling exports, and transforming rural livelihoods.

He called for a collaborative ecosystem and government support to address the longstanding challenges in the sector.

Abisola Olusanya, the Lagos State Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Systems, reiterated the government’s efforts in supporting young innovators and startups developing storage and post-harvest technologies.

She stressed the importance of collective action from all levels of government, private enterprises, and consumers to build a more sustainable agricultural sector.

Olusanya noted that the Lagos government is working on a unified database for farmers and the broader food industry, aimed at improving efficiency and responsiveness in the food system.

She also commended Ecotutu’s solar-powered cold chain facility, which she said has helped reduce food losses.

“The government appreciates all such efforts towards creating a more robust and responsive food system for Lagos,” she said.

Peter Keulers, Deputy Consul General of the Netherlands in Lagos, also shared a practical example of international collaboration.

He noted that the Netherlands government, in partnership with Lagos, launched the Polar Store, a solar-powered cold storage facility that also serves as a training hub.

“Post-harvest losses have been a significant challenge facing the Nigerian agricultural sector for a long time,” Keulers said.

Adejoke Nofiu, Head of Operations at Ecotutu in her welcome address, stated that her organisation has made measurable progress in tackling the country’s food losses.

“From deploying solar-powered mobile cold rooms to creating pay-as-you-chill models that make our services affordable and flexible, Ecotutu has impacted thousands of farmers, traders, and SMEs across Nigeria,” she said.

She noted that these innovations have extended the shelf life of fresh produce, reduced spoilage, and ensured that food travels farther, lasts longer, and feeds more people.

Echoing the need for greater action, Babajide Oluwase, the Chief Executive Officer of Ecotutu, said that the roundtable was designed to address post-harvest losses and discuss scalable solutions to Nigeria’s food preservation challenges.

“We aim to intensify efforts to tackle the country’s post-harvest losses,” Oluwase said.

As Nigeria continues to grapple with food insecurity and economic pressures, stakeholders at the event agreed that cold chain infrastructure is no longer optional, but it is essential for protecting investments, reducing waste, and building a resilient agricultural sector.

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