Lagos inaugurates Agege food hub to cut losses, ease distribution

The Lagos State Government has launched a new food hub in Agege, a move aimed at streamlining food distribution, minimizing post-harvest losses, and bringing more order to the state's vast food economy. The Lagos Fresh Food Hub, situated at Pen Cinema, is designed to serve as a central point for farmers, aggregators, wholesalers, and retailers.

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu emphasized that the project addresses systemic challenges in Lagos's food supply, acknowledging that over 70% of the food consumed in the state originates elsewhere. This reliance on external production creates vulnerabilities such as high transportation costs, inadequate storage, supply disruptions, and price volatility. The Agege hub, capable of hosting between 350 and 400 vendors, is intended to mitigate these issues by improving the flow of produce from farms to consumers.

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When our administration began to rethink the food system of Lagos in 2021, we were guided by a simple but fundamental reality: feeding Lagos is not a production challenge alone. It demands the transformation of the entire food system.

Sanwo-Olu highlighted that the Agege facility is part of a network of food hubs designed to support the state's food systems transformation agenda. This strategy is anchored by the larger Lagos Central Food Systems and Logistics Hub in Epe, which features extensive storage, processing, and trading capabilities. The Agege hub, along with others in Mushin and Abijo, serves as a crucial mid-level support facility closer to consumers.

The impact of these hubs is already evident. The Mushin Fresh Food Hub, inaugurated in December 2023, has reportedly facilitated over N4 billion in transactions, supported more than 850 vendors, and created over 7,000 jobs. The new Agege hub, occupying approximately 7,000 square meters with a 4,000-square-meter trading floor, is expected to bolster the food distribution network across Lagos and its environs.

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Today, we proudly add Agege to that network. This hub is strategically located to serve Agege and its neighbouring communities, while strengthening the wider food-distribution network across Lagos.