Can Nigeria build a better system for fresh food distribution?

The journey of a tomato from the fields of Kaduna to the stew in the pots of Lagosians, spans 14 hours and 828km, a long journey typical of fresh produce in Nigeria. Northern states of Kano, Kaduna, and Plateau produce more than 50% of the major fruits and vegetables consumed in Nigeria. Sadly, a significant 40% of these harvested produce never make it to consumers, lost due to poor handling and distribution.

Despite Nigeria’s position as the 6th largest producer of vegetables globally, with leading production in tomatoes, onions, peppers, cabbage, okra, and various leafy greens, the nation still imported $228.09 Million worth of fruits and vegetables in 2023. This paradox, significant production alongside substantial losses and imports, begs the question: Can Nigeria build a better system for fresh food distribution? Having previously explored the storage practices of Nigerian farmers, this article will explore the challenges and potential solutions within the country’s fresh food distribution systems.

How is fresh food distributed in Nigeria?

Fresh food distribution in Nigeria follows a multi-stage process that typically begins with smallholder farmers cultivating and harvesting their produce. After harvest, aggregators and middlemen collect and consolidate in clusters from multiple farmers to enable larger volumes for sale. These aggregated goods are then transported, predominantly by road to major markets where wholesalers purchase them in bulk. Subsequently, wholesalers distribute the produce to smaller retailers and market vendors who then sell directly to consumers in various markets and shops across the country.

Road transportation and its challenges 

The primary method of transporting fresh food in Nigeria is by road, with railway and inland waterways playing minor roles. Typically, fresh food is loaded onto trucks, or cars, in baskets, sacks or crates and transported long distances to their destination. While trips from the north to the south should normally take 10-15 hours, these journeys could last as long as 2-4 days, due to deplorable road conditions, frequent security checks causing delays, and possible vehicle breakdowns. For perishable vegetables like tomatoes, with a shelf life of 4-8 days, this prolonged transportation often leads to disaster, with approximately 40% lost in transit.

In addition to these challenges, rising transportation costs, exacerbated by factors like increasing diesel prices, further strain the already tedious distribution process, impacting accessibility and affordability. This poor infrastructure negatively affects food supply, drives up consumer prices, and consequently discourages supplier participation. 

The limited role of Cold Chain

Cold chain logistics plays a crucial role in efficiently distributing fresh food by maintaining a consistent, temperature-controlled environment from harvest to the consumer’s table. This efficiency potentially translates into lower overall supply chain costs and more affordable prices for the end consumer. However, the adoption of cold chain logistics in Nigeria remains limited. While initiatives like the 2017 Naija Pride pilot for cold chain tomato delivery from Kaduna State to Lagos State demonstrate its feasibility, less than 10% of the fresh food produced in Nigeria currently passes through a cold chain, despite the long distances it often needs to travel.

Implementing cold chain logistics in Nigeria faces significant hurdles. The high cost of acquiring and maintaining these facilities are prohibitive for small-scale farmers, who represent 70% of Nigeria’s farming population. Beyond costs, the country’s poor road network, ranking sixth among African countries with inadequate road infrastructure, raises serious questions about the practicality of establishing and operating a functional nationwide cold chain logistics system. 

How can we remove the bottlenecks surrounding fresh food distribution?

As illustrated by the reliance on lengthy road transport and the limited integration of the cold chain, the distribution of fresh food in Nigeria faces significant bottlenecks. The question then becomes: how can these inefficiencies be addressed to create a more effective system?

Solving Nigeria’s food distribution problems requires serious investment. Not just in paving and maintaining roads, but in building out cold chain logistics and storage systems, and market infrastructure. It also means using market intelligence and data analytics, investing in farmer education, and supporting urban and regional agriculture.

Strengthening standard handling and packing practices at the farm level can minimize damage during aggregation. Through enhanced extension services, the government can equip farmers with training on proper post-harvest handling and standard packing techniques. As well as providing or subsidizing access to quality packing materials.

The construction and rehabilitation of rural and interstate roads connecting farms to markets is a necessity. Improved road networks would drastically reduce travel time, limit mechanical spoilage, and enhance access to food across the country. Complementary to this, the government must create an enabling policy environment to attract private sector investment in cold chain logistics. This can be achieved through measures such as offering tax incentives, waiving import duties on essential cold storage equipment, and developing robust public-private partnership frameworks to scale solutions efficiently.

Innovative approaches such as cooling-as-a-service, mobile cold storage units, solar-powered facilities, and shared logistics networks, especially close to food producing areas, can enhance the accessibility and cost-effectiveness of cold chain services for various stakeholders.  

Furthermore, market intelligence and data analytics can be used to analyse data on harvest volumes, processing capacity, and market demand for sequencing and routing of shipments. This ensures timely movement of goods, reduces bottlenecks, and limits spoilage during transit.

Finally, fostering the growth of local and regional agriculture presents a significant opportunity to reduce food loss associated with long-distance distribution. State governments can actively encourage urban, local, and regional agriculture through strategic financial and infrastructural investments, coupled with supportive policies.

Building resilient and sustainable food distribution systems in Nigeria is not only an aspiration, but a necessity. Addressing these bottlenecks is key to significantly reducing waste and ensuring long-term food security for all citizens.