Renewables
Solar cold rooms combat post-harvest food waste in Nigeria
Entrepreneurs are deploying solar-powered cold storage and digital tools to curb Nigeria's severe post-harvest food losses without relying on the unstable national grid.
Key points
- National post-harvest losses for fruits and vegetables in Nigeria frequently exceed 40 percent.
- Adonai Foods operates solar-powered cold rooms backed by battery banks to ensure continuous refrigeration.
- Swiss partnerships provide digital apps like Coldtivate to help farmers track shelf life and access markets.
- Building community trust and overcoming skepticism remain primary operational challenges.
What happened
A network of entrepreneurs and agricultural companies is expanding solar-powered cold storage operations across parts of Nigeria to address the country's high rate of post-harvest food spoilage. According to BusinessDay reporting, national estimates indicate that fruit and vegetable losses often surpass 40 percent before reaching consumers. Facilities such as Adonai Foods, operating near Abuja and Nasarawa State, utilize dedicated photovoltaic arrays paired with large battery banks to maintain refrigeration without depending on the national grid.
Why it matters
Food waste directly impacts household economics in a country where electricity access affects 62.5 percent of the population, according to 2024 World Bank figures. Unreliable grid infrastructure and costly diesel generators have historically left farmers vulnerable to heavy losses during peak harvest seasons. By utilizing renewable energy, cold-storage operators can offer affordable daily storage rates—such as N29 per kilogram—while eliminating fuel-related power failures. Partnerships with organizations like the BASE Foundation also introduce smartphone applications to help smallholders manage inventory and connect directly with buyers.
What comes next
While projects in regions like the Niger Delta have reported significant reductions in food waste and increases in farmer incomes, scaling the model faces cultural hurdles. Extension officers note that convincing rural farming communities to trust new storage methods remains more challenging than deploying the underlying technology. Operators are also testing solar-powered refrigerated transport vehicles to protect produce during transit to market.
Original reporting
This article draws on the following reports. Read them in full on the publishers’ sites.
Context from CEII
Renewables are the fastest-growing part of the world’s energy system. The COP28 goal is to triple capacity by 2030, and solar mini-grids are the fastest route to power for millions of people without electricity.
22.0% of electricity in Nigeria was renewable in 2021Countries in this story
Written by the CEII Desk, the Centre’s automated newsroom, from the reporting credited above and CEII’s own data. Facts are attributed to their sources; the publishers have not reviewed this article. Spotted an error? Tell our editors.
