Post-harvest losses threaten Nigeria’s food security, which further deplete low food production. Yearly losses comprise 20% for grains and 50–60% for perishables like fruits and vegetables. Recent innovations in cold storage, hermetic containment, solar drying, and progressive policies, however, provide cause for optimism, touted to unlock ₦2.8 trillion in annual economic value by 2030 and cut import bills by $4 billion.
Post-harvest losses in Nigeria are a systemic issue with serious effects on income, food availability, and the productive capacity of the economy. The Nigerian Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security estimates that 40% of produce is lost between harvest and consumption points.
Put together with other factors affecting smallholder farmers, this channel of loss contributes majorly to the 50% of annual income cuts experienced. Beyond individual effects, Nigeria loses ₦3.5 trillion (1.5% of GDP) annually, further straining food security and export fitness. This threatens the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 2 (Zero Hunger).
Experts or Agricultural Stakeholders have come together to devise a plan to address these post harvest losses in Nigeria’s agricultural space. These post presents some prominent ideas.
The solar-powered cold storage units developed by ColdHubs stand as one of the most forward-thinking solutions. As of 2021, five years after launch, there were 54 cold hubs spread across the country in 22 states. Each walk-in Hub can store tonnes of produce.
These units regulate temperature between 4°C and 12°C, a range optimal for extending the shelf life of tomatoes and leafy greens by 19 days. At an affordable rate farmers can conveniently and reliably store produce without the hassle of depending on diesel-enabled refrigeration. Farmers using ColdHubs save 90% of their produce from spoilage and improve their income by 40%. Scaling this model requires initial capital costs through public-private partnerships and subsidies.
Towards this, the Nigerian Energy Support Programme (NESP) has begun integrating solar cold storage into its rural electrification projects, signalling the potential for broader adoption.
The Nigeria Stored Products Research Institute (NSPRI) has initiated the use of hermetic steel drums to tackle the microbe-induced loss in grains such as cowpea, maize, and rice. These airtight containers protect against aflatoxins (poisons produced by fungus) and prevent insect infestation and fungal growth by limiting oxygen in the storage environment.
Trials in Kano and Kaduna have shown that hermetic storage drastically reduces losses to a paltry 2%, protecting both quantity and nutrition. Despite this, a slow trickle of awareness down to rural farmers remains a limiting factor for wide-scale adoption.
The Federal Ministry of Agriculture voucher system intended to subsidise half of the drum costs as a move to counter initial acquisition costs. This storage technique has the potential to protect tonnes of grains yearly when farmers are adequately trained on the right usage.
In 2021, The Developmental Association for Renewable Energies (DARE) introduced Nigeria’s first solar-bubble dryer, targeting post-harvest losses in crops like cassava and maize. This design involves the use of transparent polythene sheets to generate a greenhouse effect.
The method is reputed to dry faster than the regular open-air methods. It is also highly mobile and not electricity/fuel-dependent. Priced at an affordable operating cost, the dryers desiccate grains, apple, tomatoes and other crops, reducing moisture in double-quick time. This method is effective in the middle belt states where post-drying losses have lessened.
The present adoption of this drying method requires flat, open spaces that are scarcely available in Nigeria’s thick farming communities.
The success and spread of innovations are subject to baseline animation by policies and enabling infrastructure. Responding to the state of transportation in Nigeria which accounts for 30% of post-harvest losses, the World Bank has invested $575 million in Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project since 2022 to rehabilitate rural roads and the construction of new agro-logistics hubs.
The proposed Agricultural Extension Service Bill (2024) seeks to institutionalise post-harvest management training for farmers through a network of 10,000 government-employed extension agents. This bill, which has passed its first reading, promises to allocate ₦50 billion annually to equip agents with moisture meters, pH testers, and digital platforms for real-time advisory services.
In the face of much-needed systemic change to ensure food security, Nigeria has to intensify and maintain a front-footed approach to producing more and, just as importantly, limit agricultural losses. With coordinated action from government, private sector, and international partners, Nigeria can transform its agricultural sector into an engine of food security and economic growth. This means the next decade will be decisive. Post-harvest management is half the step to a hunger-free tomorrow.
