The Danish Consul-General is pushing for the development of cold chain in Nigeria for the agriculture and health sectors.
The cold chain development was the core of discussion at a Cold Chain Roundtable on Climate-Resilient Infrastructure on Wednesday in Lagos state, Southwest Nigeria.
The roundtable was organised in partnership with the Organisation for Technology Advancement of Cold Chain in West Africa (OTACCWA) and other stakeholders in the sector.
The Consul-General of Denmark and Head of Trade, Ms Jette Bjerrum, said the Danish government was committed to partnering with African countries to promote sustainable growth, resilience, and climate adaptation.
“This is the only strategic project that has been approved in the sub-Saharan Africa region in Copenhagen.
“Today is about linking classic cold-chain business with real climate adaptation initiatives.
“So, bridging these two thematic areas is very particular for Denmark, and that is happening now in Lagos, as the megacity of Nigeria, and the key hub for a lot of things,’’ she said.
Bjerrum said cold chains play a vital role in multiple sectors, particularly in agriculture and healthcare.
“We also know that it is very energy-intensive to run cold chain infrastructure, and if not managed sustainably, it can also contribute significantly to climate challenges.
“Denmark’s new Africa Strategy, inaugurated last year, emphasises our strong commitment to partnership with African countries to promote sustainable growth, resilience, and climate adaptation,” the Consul-General said.
Bjerrum reiterated that “climate change is not an abstract challenge; it is a daily reality affecting livelihoods, food security, and health systems.
“Addressing these challenges requires innovative, practical solutions and cold chain is a sector where solutions can have immediate, tangible impact.
“Danish companies and institutions bring decades of experience in developing energy-efficient cooling technologies, renewable energy integration, and smart logistics systems. Combined with local expertise and market knowledge here in Nigeria,
“We can create models that both reduce greenhouse gas emissions and expand access to essential and important products,’’ she said.
Bjerrum said the roundtable was not just about technology, it was about building partnerships.
“By working together across sectors and borders, we can strengthen the value chains that support farmers, improve public health outcomes, and build resilience against the effects of climate change,” Bjerrum said.
On her part, the Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on Climate Change and Circular Economy, Mrs Titi Oshodi, commended the Danish Consul-General for her initiative in promoting the growth of the cold chain sector.
“We are excited that the Danish government has started to look along the line of providing solutions in the cold chain sector.
“Climate resilience is something that we have to start to introspectively look into, and we have to start looking at how it can be adaptable to our climate and to every reality that faces us.
“I commend the organisers for creating this platform to explore solutions at the intersection of climate change, food systems, and health, adding that the impact of climate change is not a distant threat,’’ she said.
Oshodi said that Nigeria loses up to 40 per cent of food produced to post-harvest losses and weak preservation systems.
“This results in waste and has become a significant challenge that threatens food security, and economic and environmental stability.
“This is why cold chain systems are not simply a technical fix. They are a lifeline for food security, public health, and climate resilience. So solutions like this are crucial,” the Special Adviser said.
Also, Mr Alexander Isong, the President of OTACCWA, restated the need for more investment in the growth of Nigeria’s cold-chain sector.
“The cold-chain sector in Nigeria is not just an infrastructure challenge, it is a national development imperative. Addressing its deficits will unlock food security, reduce health risks, and catalyse economic growth.
“With strategic investment, policy coherence, and climate-resilient innovation, Nigeria can transform its cold-chain landscape from a bottleneck into a backbone.
“Treating cold chain as climate-resilient infrastructure, not a peripheral cost, lets Nigeria convert today’s losses into tomorrow’s incomes and health outcomes.
“With targeted, standards-driven, clean power investments across food and vaccine supply chains, Nigeria can reduce waste, save lives, build export credibility, and crowd in green capital at scale,’’ he said.
Isong said OTACCWA would remain committed to partnerships and national acceleration programmes to strengthen Nigeria’s cold-chain sector.