Agriculture entrepreneur and Chief Executive Officer of Davidorlar Nigeria Limited, Mr Segun Alabi, has raised fresh concerns over the scale of post-harvest losses in the country, estimating that Nigeria forfeits between $9 billion and $10 billion worth of agricultural produce every year.
Speaking during an interactive session with House of Representatives correspondents at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja on Monday, Alabi urged the Federal Ministries of Agriculture and Food Security, and Environment, to intensify efforts toward revitalising the agricultural sector as a pathway to tackling unemployment, food insecurity, and poverty.
According to him, current assessments indicate that 30-50 per cent of Nigeria’s annual agricultural output is lost after harvest. He noted that losses in fruits, vegetables, grains, and other perishables — caused by poor harvesting techniques, inadequate storage, inefficient transportation, and limited processing capacity — continue to undermine farmers’ earnings and weaken national food supply chains.
“Nigeria, despite being one of Africa’s largest agricultural producers, struggles with high levels of post-harvest waste every year.
“These losses translate into billions of dollars in economic value that evaporate before produce reaches consumers. This affects farmer livelihoods, constrains food availability, and slows economic growth,” he said.
Alabi called for stronger investment in modern storage and processing facilities, stressing that cold-chain systems, silos, and decentralised processing centres are essential to extending the shelf life of perishable crops while enabling value addition.
He also highlighted the need for improved rural roads and logistics networks to ensure the timely movement of produce from farms to markets.
He advocated targeted training for farmers on harvesting, handling, and storage techniques, as well as the promotion of affordable preservation technologies such as solar dryers and mobile processing units.
He added that supportive government policies — particularly those that encourage private sector investment in agro-processing and waste-reduction initiatives — remain critical.
Alabi emphasised that reducing agricultural waste is not only necessary for preventing losses but also offers new economic opportunities.
“By turning agricultural waste into products such as animal feed, bioenergy, bioplastics, and organic fertilisers, entrepreneurs can create new value chains that stimulate innovation and expand income sources.
“With the right investments and collaboration across sectors, agricultural waste can move from being a liability to becoming a driver of prosperity,” he noted.
Post-harvest waste has long been one of the most pressing but under-addressed challenges in Nigeria’s agricultural sector. Fruits and vegetables — being highly perishable — account for some of the highest loss rates, often reaching 40-60 per cent before they reach markets. These losses occur at multiple points: during harvesting, sorting, transportation on poor road networks, and storage, where temperature and humidity control are inadequate.
The financial implications are severe. For fruits and vegetables alone, the economic value lost runs into billions of dollars annually.
The absence of cold-chain infrastructure, limited processing industries, reliance on open-truck transportation, and inconsistent electricity supply all contribute to rapid spoilage. Surplus produce during harvest seasons further overwhelms local markets, forcing farmers to sell at extremely low prices or dispose of unsold goods.
Beyond the monetary losses, the implications for food security, nutrition, and rural incomes are far-reaching.
Nigeria continues to grapple with rising food prices, yet a significant share of domestically grown produce never reaches consumers in usable form. Strengthening post-harvest systems — through storage, processing, transportation, and market linkages — remains essential for improving food availability and unlocking the full value of Nigeria’s agricultural potential.
