Investment in cold storage infrastructure could create between 15,000 and 25,000 jobs across Nigeria, according to Operoluwa Runsewe of Terroso Group. He made the projection based on deploying 1,000 modular cold rooms in strategic clusters nationwide.
Nigeria wastes staggering amounts of food before it reaches consumers. Between 30 and 60 percent of harvests spoil due to poor preservation, he told BusinessDay in an exclusive interview.
Annual losses from spoilage range from N3.5 trillion to N5 trillion. Runsewe noted that recovering just a third of this value would inject over N1 trillion back into the economy.
The nation's climate favors agriculture, but infrastructure failures cripple food security. Poor preservation remains the critical weak link in Nigeria's agricultural system.
A robust cold chain network could reshape how Nigerians work in farming. Structural transformation across the entire value chain would follow, he argued.
Runsewe outlined a four-part strategy to close current gaps. Public-private partnerships, development finance institutions, and carbon funding should drive infrastructure investment.
Rural aggregation centers need expansion with off-grid and solar-powered storage units. Data systems should inform pricing and discourage panic selling by farmers.
Technical training programs must strengthen farmer capacity across regions. These measures combined would unlock employment at multiple levels.
Engineers and refrigeration technicians will find new opportunities. Renewable energy specialists would also be in demand.
Warehouse operators and cold chain coordinators represent the bulk of new roles. Drivers, packhouse staff, and logistics workers will see significant job growth.
As preserved produce volumes increase, logistics demand rises proportionally. Tens of thousands of additional jobs could materialise within years, he projected.
Farmers stand to gain directly from reduced post-harvest losses. A 20 percent reduction in spoilage would materially improve rural incomes.
Higher production volumes would follow improved farmer earnings. That demand would create more farm labour positions and aggregation service roles.
Rural enterprises would expand as incomes stabilize in farming communities. Income stability matters for cutting rural underemployment.
Professional roles will expand as the sector matures. Project managers, supply chain analysts, and export specialists will be sought.
Infrastructure finance expertise becomes increasingly valuable. Managerial and strategic positions multiply as operations scale up nationwide.
