Cooling as-a-Service in Nigeria : ColdHubs 2024 impact report

Through a Cooling-as-a-Service (CaaS) mechanism, 58 solar-powered cold rooms have helped thousands of Nigerian farmers to avoid over 13,800 kilograms of food loss in 2024. 

ColdHubs, founded by Nnaemeka Ikegwuonu, provides walk-in solar-powered cold rooms to combat post-harvest crop spoilage among small-scale farmers in Nigeria through Cooling-as-a-Service (CaaS). 

 

The cold rooms operated by ColdHubs use the natural refrigerant propane (R290) along with latent thermal energy storage. Long-lasting electric batteries connected to rooftop solar panels serve for short-term energy storage and for supplying the auxiliary devices overnight. 

 

According to the company’s 2024 impact report, ColdHubs was serving over 11,100 farmers, retailers and wholesalers using 58 installed cold rooms and 10 refrigerated trucks.  The solar-powered cold rooms saved over 13,800 kilograms of food from perishing.

Over 100 new jobs were created for women as managers of the hubs and about 13,900 tonnes of CO2 emissions were saved. 

 

 

Access the complete report here.  

 

Did you know? The IIR published a technical guide advising on the design and operation of walk-in cold rooms that are well suited for hot climates, especially in off and weak-grid areas.
 

Download the “Walk-In Cold Rooms: A Practitioner’s Technical Guide”