The Federal Government is turning to modern storage technology as the backbone of a new drive to curb Nigeria’s staggering ₦3.5 trillion annual postharvest losses, in a push to strengthen food security and boost farmer incomes.
The initiative, called the Nigeria Postharvest Systems Transformation Programme (NiPHaST), forms part of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda to eradicate poverty, guarantee food and nutrition security, stimulate economic growth, and reduce agricultural waste, according to Abubakar Kyari, Minister of Agriculture and Food Security.
The Minister says the programme will hinge on new-generation storage solutions to transform how Nigeria handles food after harvest. He disclosed this during the Nigeria Legacy Programme hosted by the Africa Food Systems Forum in partnership with the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) in Dakar, Senegal.
According to the Minister, NiPHaST is designed to “stabilise food prices, ensure availability, accessibility and affordability of staple foods, improve storage systems as well as achieve national food sovereignty.”
Minister: With storage technology, Nigeria aims for national food sovereignty
According to the Minister, NiPHaST is designed to “stabilise food prices, ensure availability, accessibility and affordability of staple foods, improve storage systems as well as achieve national food sovereignty.”
What NiPHaST Targets Kyari explains that the programme will focus on:
- Household storage technologies to help smallholder farmers preserve produce.
- Community-level warehouses and cold rooms to secure food at scale.
- Strategic national silos, managed through public–private partnerships, to safeguard food reserves.
- Climate-smart technologies, including metal silos, packaging, preservation methods, and cold chain systems to extend the shelf life of perishables.
“These interventions are not just about reducing waste but about restoring value,” Kyari says. “Every bag of food that spoils is an opportunity lost, a livelihood destroyed, and a blow to national food security.”
Economic and Social Impact NiPHaST, the government says, is expected to unlock private sector investment, boost market confidence, and expand the nation’s storage infrastructure. In addition, the programme aims to:
- Drive agricultural exports and improve Nigeria’s position in regional food markets.
- Enhance nutrition by making more food available and affordable.
- Create jobs across the value chain in storage, logistics, packaging, and distribution.
- Increase household incomes by reducing postharvest losses that currently erode farmer earnings.
- Support food import substitution to reduce dependency on foreign supplies.
Building partnerships for food security
Kyari also underscores the importance of collaboration with development partners and the international community. He notes that the success of NiPHaST depends on joint efforts between government, private investors, and global partners to deliver efficient postharvest systems.
“Transforming Nigeria’s postharvest systems will not only secure farmer livelihoods and revive agribusiness confidence but will also position the country as a leading food supplier in West Africa,” the Minister says.
By tackling the waste that drains billions from Nigeria’s food economy every year, the government hopes NiPHaST will be a game-changer in building resilience, achieving food sovereignty, and unlocking new opportunities for growth.
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