Lagos Central Food Systems Hub Will Boost N14trn Agric Produce Market – Commissioner

The Lagos State Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Systems, Ms Abisola Olusanya, revealed on Tuesday that the state government is completing a central food systems and logistics hub in the Epe area. The facilities will help boost the state’s N14 trillion food market.

Olusanya, who disclosed this during the ongoing ministerial press briefing to commemorate the second year in office of the second term of the state governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, at Alausa, Ikeja, said the facility will also serve over 1,500 trucks daily.

Olusanya said, “The Lagos Central Food Security Systems and Logistics Hub represents a flagship project by the Lagos State government to modernise and secure the state’s food distribution ecosystem. It was conceptualised as part of Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu’s broader vision for agricultural and food systems transformation.

“The hub is designed to serve as a central, data-driven, and technologically integrated complex for food aggregation, storage, processing, and distribution.

“Upon completion, it will stand as the most significant food logistics hub in Sub-Saharan Africa. It will feature facilities to service over 1,500 (40mt) trucks daily and is expected to boost Lagos’s N14 trillion food market.

She added, “With expected completion of Phase 1 within the next few months, it will be a game changer in the Nigerian food sovereignty plan, considering the emulation of Lagos as a pioneer, as seen recently in other states’ adoption of the project. Upon completion, Lagosians can anticipate an impactful reduction in food prices due to integrated facilities like cold and dry storage, a 14,000-capacity abattoir, and a jetty for streamlined goods transportation.”

According to Olusanya, the project is structured as a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) under a Design-Build-Finance-Operate-and-Transfer (DBFOT) model to ensure long-term sustainability and professional management of the facility.

“The hub occupies approximately four million square meters (400 hectares) of land. The first phase alone covers 100 hectares, and once fully developed, the facility is expected to handle the storage, processing, and timely distribution of over 1.5 million metric tonnes of food annually.”

She explained that the hub will generate over five million income opportunities across the agriculture and logistics value chain, from farmers and transporters to retailers and cold chain operators.

The Commissioner noted it will “guarantee uninterrupted food supply to over 10 million Lagos residents for at least 90 days during emergency or lean periods. It will also reduce food transportation costs and post-harvest losses, which currently account for 30–50 per cent of total food losses in Nigeria.

According to the Commissioner, the Middle Level Agro Hub operates at Idi-Oro, Mushin, where food valued at N2, 641,709,989 has been traded. Sites identified for three additional Mid-Level Hubs at Ikorodu, FESTAC Town and Lekki Phase 1,”