By Ify Mgbemena
Nigeria’s agrifood system loses billions of naira annually to post-harvest spoilage, a loss driven by one glaring weakness —the lack of an efficient cold chain network. From vegetables wilting under tropical heat to fish and dairy products deteriorating before reaching consumers, weak cold storage and logistics systems continue to stifle profitability and food security across the value chain.
As global temperatures rise and consumer demand for fresh, safe produce increases, the urgency to strengthen Nigeria’s cold chain infrastructure has never been greater.
Experts say the solution lies not only in technology but also in innovative financing and collaboration models that can sustain energy-hungry cold storage operations in a challenging business environment.
Speaking with AgroNigeria during an exclusive interview, Victoria Eppelle, Trade Advisor for Food and Agriculture at the Danish Consulate, revealed that Denmark is actively supporting Nigeria’s journey toward a modernized cold chain ecosystem through partnerships, capacity development, and awareness creation.
“We currently have an ongoing project focused on the cold chain sector—covering both food and healthcare.
“When given the platform to present, we showcased our efforts in raising awareness, building partnerships, and promoting capacity development. The goal is to drive sustainable investment and improve cold chain management from production to consumption,” she explained.
Eppelle noted that while financing remains the most cited challenge, energy and logistics are equally crippling.
“Cold storage facilities require steady power to run 24/7, which is difficult to maintain. Logistics is another gap—there isn’t enough infrastructure for last-mile delivery,” she said. “These challenges make operations costly and limit efficiency for businesses that depend on temperature control.”
To bridge these gaps, she emphasized the need for blended finance models—a strategic mix of public and private sector investment that shares risks and rewards. “The government cannot shoulder the entire financial burden,” she stated. “If we can design blended finance models that are sector-specific and tailored to Nigeria’s context, we can unlock greater investment and long-term sustainability across the cold chain value chain.”
Experts believe that improving cold chain systems could drastically cut post-harvest losses, expand export potential, and boost smallholder farmer incomes. Beyond economics, a reliable cold chain can enhance food safety and nutrition, ensuring that perishable produce maintains its quality from farm to fork.
For the Danish Consulate, the ambition is clear—to foster local ownership of solutions that endure. “We’re not just transferring technology,” Eppelle emphasized. “We’re building partnerships and knowledge systems that allow Nigerian stakeholders to adapt global best practices in ways that work for their realities.”
As Nigeria seeks to position itself as a regional leader in agribusiness and food export, efficient cold chain infrastructure could become the cornerstone of that transformation. With policy alignment, private sector engagement, and sustained international cooperation, the country’s journey toward climate-smart cold logistics may finally begin to gather momentum—one refrigerated truck, one warehouse, and one innovation at a time.
