ColdHubs
ColdHubs
In Nigeria, around 40% of food is lost along the value chain before reaching consumers, with negative economic, social, and environmental consequences. To address this problem, Nnaemeka Ikegwuonu founded ColdHubs Ltd. in 2015, pioneering the provision of solar-powered food storage units for Nigeria's markets and farms.
The ColdHubs use solar panels to power small refrigeration facilities for the storage of agricultural produce, significantly extending the shelf life and reducing food loss. Working on a pay-as-you-go model where users pay per crate stored, the ColdHubs can be accessed at a relatively affordable rate when compared to the usual cold storage options. ColdHubs serves farmers and retailers at 54 facilities in 22 states across Nigeria.
Farmers often lose a significant amount of their produce due to lack of cold storage, or from damage incurred in transporting it into the city for sale. ColdHubs make cold storage more affordable and accessible, improving income prospects for farmers and traders.
The use of solar energy reduces the need to rely on other, more polluting power sources (e.g. diesel generators) for cooling. By reducing the amount of food that has to be discarded, more utility is derived from the land, natural resources and labour that went into producing it, and from the energy that went into transporting it to market.
Adequate consultation with various stakeholders, particularly local communities, has enabled ColdHubs to successfully establish its facilities in different locations across the country.
ColdHubs' facilities can run for up to three days without full sunshine, but the consistency of solar energy is sometimes a challenge.
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