Ecotutu, a leading business in cold chain solutions has resuscitated a 30-metric ton (MT) cold storage facility in Ibadan which has been moribund for years through a public-private partnership.
The joint partnership between Ecotutu, the National Horticultural Research Institute (NIHORT), the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and the Kingdom of Netherlands through the HortiNigeria programme is expected to enhance the preservation and storage of fresh produce and strengthen the country’s horticultural sector.
Also, the resuscitated cold room served as a powerful demonstration of HortiNigeria’s potential impact on the horticulture sector.
“The launch of this revived cold room represents a critical step in strengthening Nigeria’s horticultural value chain,” Adejoke Nofiu, head of operations at Ecotutu, said during the launch at the Hortifair 2025 event.
“By providing reliable cold storage, we are empowering farmers to reduce waste, increase their income, and contribute to food security,” she added.
The project was financed majorly by NIHORT with the technical support necessary to refurbish and optimise the cold room, ensuring its efficient and reliable operation and financial support from HortiNigeria.
Babajide Oluwase, chief executive officer at Ecotutu, stressed that the project proves that collaboration can drive transformative change in Nigeria’s food system.
“Ecotutu is proud to lead the charge in scaling such sustainable cold chain solutions nationwide, combining research, funding, and innovation to cut post-harvest losses, boost farmer incomes, and secure Nigeria’s future food security,” he said.
Similarly, Prof. Mohammed Atanda, executive director of NIHORT said, “The resuscitation of this facility, showcased during the Hortifair 2025, underscores the significance of partnership and collaboration in research and development.”
He expressed gratitude to the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, IFDC, and Ecotutu for their unrelenting support in ensuring improvements in the institute’s capacity to serve Horticultural value chain stakeholders.
He added that the impact of this project will be far-reaching in the sense that it will reduce post-harvest losses and increase production capacity and income for smallholder farmers and that the ability to store produce for a longer period will also aid research activities concerning seed viability and shelfless of horticultural produce.
Olabisi Ilebani, innovation & regional diversification lead, HortiNigeria, said the cold storage facility upgrade improves horticultural storage, reduces post-harvest losses, and boosts food security.
According to him, the revived cold room, now an indispensable feature of NIHORT’s infrastructure, is expected to impact local farmers.
“It will enable them to store their produce under optimal conditions and access better market prices,” he said.
“This activity aligns with our broader efforts at Ecotutu to improve food security and promote sustainable agricultural practices in Nigeria and collaborations between the government, and development programs are poised to expand this initiative across the country,” he added.
