Ayodeji Ake

Lange and Grant and Ecotutu have partnered to expand access to solar-powered cold storage facilities in Nigeria, unveiling a joint showroom in Lagos to help farmers, traders and businesses preserve perishable goods, reduce post-harvest losses and improve food security.

Speaking at the Lange and Grant–Ecotutu Showroom Launch Event in Lagos, the Chief Executive Officer of Lange and Grant, Tunde Okoya, said the partnership would combine the companies’ expertise to address inadequate cold storage infrastructure and improve the preservation of perishable agricultural produce.

“The importance of strategic partnerships cannot be overstated in expanding access to cold storage infrastructure in Nigeria. Our collaboration with Ecotutu is focused on tackling post-harvest losses and improving food preservation,” Okoya said.

He explained that Lange and Grant’s expertise in manufacturing structural insulated panels for cold rooms and temperature-controlled facilities complemented Ecotutu’s cooling technology and service capabilities.

According to him, the collaboration would ensure that customers receive specialised support in both the construction and operation of cold storage facilities, particularly as refrigeration requires regular maintenance and sustained customer engagement.

 “Because refrigeration is not Lange and Grant’s core business, this partnership will ensure customers receive specialised support in both constructing and operating cold storage facilities.

 “Refrigeration requires regular maintenance and continuous client engagement, particularly where farmers and businesses depend on cold rooms to protect valuable produce,” he added.

The Chief Executive Officer of Ecotutu, Babajide Oluwase, said the company developed energy-efficient cooling solutions to support different stages of the food value chain, from harvesting and aggregation to market distribution.

He explained that the technology was designed to address Nigeria’s energy challenges while enabling farmers, traders and businesses to preserve perishable goods for longer periods.

Ecotutu deploys monoblock refrigeration systems adapted to local operating conditions and powered primarily by solar energy.

The systems are designed to operate automatically, reducing electricity consumption by entering a hibernation mode when the required temperature is reached and resuming operation when temperatures rise beyond the user’s set range.

Oluwase said the solutions could be used to preserve fresh produce such as tomatoes and peppers, frozen products including fish, meat and chicken, as well as temperature-sensitive items such as vaccines.

He added that the systems feature remote monitoring capabilities, allowing users to track temperature, humidity and energy consumption through mobile phones or computers. Their mobility also enables deployment in locations where cold storage infrastructure is needed.

The Chief Marketing Officer of Ecotutu, Michael Akinsete, said the company had been developing solutions to address post-harvest losses since 2022 and currently operated in 10 states, with plans to expand its operations nationwide and beyond.

He noted that inadequate cold storage infrastructure continued to contribute to food waste, reducing farmers’ and traders’ earnings while affecting the availability and affordability of nutritious food.

To make its solutions more accessible, Akinsete said Ecotutu offered different payment options, including outright purchases, asset financing, lease-to-own arrangements and cooling-as-a-service.

Under the service model, farmers and traders can store their produce at designated facilities for an affordable daily fee, reducing the need for individual investments in cold storage equipment.

 “We are deploying facilities around farm gates and open markets, including locations around Mile 12 and Ajah in Lagos,” he said.

Akinsete also disclosed that eligible businesses could access subsidies of up to 40 per cent through the Rural Electrification Agency’s Distributed Access through Renewable Energy Scale-up (DARES) programme, subject to the programme’s applicable eligibility requirements.

Beyond cold storage, the companies said they were exploring opportunities to develop additional rural food-processing infrastructure, including mini-abattoirs and community poultry facilities.

They said expanding access to preservation and processing facilities could help reduce food losses, improve farmers’ earnings and support more efficient food distribution.

By combining solar-powered cooling technology with specialised cold-room construction and maintenance support, the partnership aims to provide farmers, traders and other businesses with practical alternatives for preserving food and reducing losses across Nigeria’s agricultural value chain.