Introduction to the Lagos Fresh Food Hub
The Lagos State Government has taken a significant step in transforming its food distribution system by inaugurating a new food hub in Agege. This initiative is part of a broader strategy aimed at reducing post-harvest losses, improving food distribution, and bringing more organization to the state’s complex food economy.
The Lagos Fresh Food Hub: A Strategic Move
Located at Pen Cinema, the Lagos Fresh Food Hub is designed to accommodate between 350 and 400 vendors. It provides essential storage and trading facilities for farmers, aggregators, wholesalers, retailers, and other participants in the food supply chain. This facility is part of a network of food hubs intended to improve the movement of produce from farms and aggregation centers to markets and consumers.
Addressing Structural Challenges
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu emphasized that the project is part of a broader strategy to address structural problems affecting food supply in Lagos rather than relying solely on increased food production. He pointed out that over 70% of the food consumed in Lagos is produced outside the state, leading to long and fragmented supply chains. This arrangement exposes residents to high transportation costs, post-harvest losses, inadequate storage, supply disruptions, and price volatility.
The Vision for a Transformed Food System
Sanwo-Olu highlighted that feeding Lagos is not just a production challenge but requires the transformation of the entire food system. The Agege facility is designed as part of this network, complementing the Lagos Central Food Systems and Logistics Hub at Ketu-Ereyun, Epe, which serves as the flagship project of the administration’s food systems transformation agenda.
Features of the Epe Hub
The Epe hub includes cold and dry storage facilities, processing and repackaging centers, quality-control laboratories, warehouses, logistics bays, and digital trading platforms. It has the capacity to service more than 1,500 food trucks daily and handle over 1.5 million metric tonnes of food annually. Construction of the Epe facility is at an advanced stage and will be completed before the end of the administration.
Supporting Facilities for Effective Distribution
To effectively serve Lagos, the state’s food strategy also includes mid-level hubs such as those in Mushin, Abijo, and now Agege. The Mushin Fresh Food Hub, inaugurated in December 2023, has recorded more than N4bn in transactions across 228 market days, with over 850 registered vendors and more than 7,000 direct and indirect jobs created.
Details of the Agege Facility
The Agege facility occupies about 7,000 square meters and has a 4,000-square-meter trading floor. It includes about 1,200 square meters of dry storage with capacity for approximately 800 metric tonnes of produce and cold storage capacity of about 300 metric tonnes. The facility also features a dedicated seafood section, parking for between 80 and 90 vehicles, and 10 electric vehicle charging points.
Operational Timeline and Framework
Despite Wednesday’s commissioning, the hub will not begin full operations immediately. Full operations are expected to commence in about six weeks to allow for the onboarding of traders and the completion of operational, logistics, and governance systems required for daily trading. The facility is being operated under a 351-page framework covering operator selection, produce reception and quality control, storage and inventory management, sanitation, waste management, and use of trading spaces.
Linking with Agricultural Programs
Sanwo-Olu linked the hub network to the Produce for Lagos programme, launched in July 2025 alongside a N500bn Offtake Guarantee Fund. This programme is designed to shift agricultural production from a supply-led model to one driven by guaranteed demand, allowing farmers in Lagos and partner states to produce for an organized market rather than relying on uncertain buyers after harvest.
Expanding the Network
The state government is also developing additional hubs in Opebi and Bombata, while locations have been identified in Ikorodu, Apapa, FESTAC, and the Lekki axis. The long-term objective is to establish structured food hubs across all local governments and local council development areas in Lagos.
Training and Production Initiatives
The administration is also linking the infrastructure programme with investments in agricultural production and skills. More than 125,800 farmers and fishermen have been trained in modern agricultural practices, while over 4,000 young people have been trained under the Lagos Agripreneurship Programme. The Lagos Rice Mill in Imota has produced more than 250,000 50kg bags of Eko Rice in the past year, including the recently introduced fortified variety.
Collaborative Development
The Agege project is being developed with Origin Tech Group as project ‘ideator’ and developer, working with the Lagos State Government to establish the hub-and-spoke food distribution model. This model aims to reduce the pressure created when food trading, storage, and logistics compete for limited road space while providing cleaner and more organized environments for traders.
Role of the Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Systems
Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Systems, Abisola Olusanya, explained that the objective was not to replace Lagos’ existing commercial relationships but to provide infrastructure that would allow them to operate more efficiently. She noted that the Agege hub was deliberately located at Pen Cinema due to the area’s longstanding importance as a commercial and transport center.
Benefits for Different Stakeholders
Olusanya added that the facility was designed to give different participants in the food chain specific benefits, from dependable market access for farmers and aggregators to storage and logistics for traders and cold-chain operators. For consumers, the hub would provide access to a wider range of fresh produce in a cleaner and more organized environment.
Success Depends on Users
Sanwo-Olu concluded by emphasizing that the success of the facility ultimately depends on its users. He urged traders, farmers, and aggregators to take ownership of the facility, stating that its success now rests in their hands. The government’s objective is to create a food distribution system capable of making Lagos more resilient against disruptions in supply while improving affordability and reducing waste.
Integrated Strategy for Efficient Food Distribution
“These are not isolated projects. They are interconnected components of one integrated strategy, moving food efficiently from farm to aggregation center, from aggregation center to market, and from market to the dining table,” the governor said.
