The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has raised alarm over Nigeria’s alarming rate of food wastage, revealing that an estimated 60 percent of food produced in the country rots before it reaches consumers due to inadequate storage, poor preservation facilities, and inefficient distribution systems.
The revelation was made yesterday in Abuja by NAFDAC’s Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, during a stakeholders’ forum on food safety and post-harvest management. Prof. Adeyeye stressed that the situation not only undermines the nation’s food security but also results in billions of naira in economic losses annually, further worsening hunger and poverty.
“The tragedy is that Nigeria produces enough food to feed its population and even export, but poor storage, outdated preservation methods, and lack of adequate infrastructure cause more than half of this produce to be lost. This is unacceptable for a country battling rising food prices and malnutrition,” she said.
Impact on Farmers and Consumers
According to NAFDAC, smallholder farmers — who account for over 80 percent of the country’s food supply — are the hardest hit, as they often lack access to cold storage facilities, silos, and processing plants. Once their produce spoils, farmers lose income, and market supply shrinks, driving up prices for consumers.
Fresh fruits, vegetables, tomatoes, grains, fish, and meat are among the most affected, with perishable goods sometimes lasting only a few days before spoiling, especially in rural areas where electricity supply is unstable.
Contributing Factors
Experts at the forum identified several key causes for Nigeria’s high food wastage:
- Poor rural infrastructure: Inadequate roads delay transportation from farms to markets.
- Lack of modern storage facilities: Many farming communities still rely on traditional storage methods that fail to preserve food for long periods.
- Unreliable electricity supply: Cold rooms and refrigeration units often break down due to power outages.
- Limited food processing capacity: Low investment in food processing means excess harvests often cannot be converted into longer-lasting products.
Call to Action
Prof. Adeyeye called for urgent investment in modern storage technologies, cold-chain logistics, and agro-processing industries. She also urged state governments to partner with the private sector to create storage hubs close to farming communities.
“If we can save even half of the food that currently goes to waste, we can reduce hunger significantly, lower food prices, and create jobs across the agricultural value chain,” she emphasised.
Government and Private Sector Role
The Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security has pledged to work with NAFDAC to improve post-harvest handling, while private investors are being encouraged to explore opportunities in cold storage and food processing. International development partners, including the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), have also expressed readiness to support Nigeria with technical expertise and funding for preservation projects.
The Bigger Picture
Nigeria’s food wastage problem mirrors a global challenge, with the United Nations estimating that one-third of all food produced worldwide is lost or wasted. However, in developing countries like Nigeria, the issue is primarily caused by post-harvest losses rather than consumer waste.
Stakeholders agree that addressing this challenge could be a game-changer for Nigeria’s food security. With inflation and hunger on the rise, reducing waste could help close the gap between food production and availability — ensuring that the food grown in Nigerian soil actually makes it to Nigerian tables.
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