Challenge: Eastwind Laboratories pinpointed a crucial gap in Ile-Ife, Osun State—frequent electricity outages leading to the shutdown of cold storage facilities, exacerbating the spoilage of perishable goods and escalating food prices. This local issue reflects a broader challenge in Nigeria, where inconsistent power supply undermines cold chain infrastructure, critical for food security and health, contrasting sharply with global advancements in sustainable cold storage solutions.
Action: To address this, USADF and AllON synergized with a $100,000 grant, complemented by DDI’s project management and business advisory, facilitating the development of a 20kWp solar-powered refrigeration facility.
Result: The initiative successfully established a comprehensive cold storage solution, including refrigeration and freezing units plus an ice block maker, serving 700 customers since its inception. This venture not only mitigated the cold storage crisis in Ile-Ife but also illustrated the potential of renewable energy in bolstering Nigeria’s cold chain logistics.