PIND, ColdHubs Inaugurate Solar-Powered Cold Storage Hub to Cut Post-Harvest Losses in Bayelsa

Yenagoa, Bayelsa State

The Foundation for Partnership Initiatives in the Niger Delta (PIND), in partnership with ColdHubs Limited, has commissioned a solar-powered cold storage and ice-making facility at Swali Market, Yenagoa, providing a clean-energy solution to one of the biggest challenges facing coastal communities—post-harvest losses.

Developed by ColdHubs Limited with support from PIND’s Coastal Communities Off-Grid Energy Challenge Fund, the facility is powered by a 44kWp solar photovoltaic system with 240kWh battery storage. It features a walk-in cold room and a solar-powered ice-making unit capable of producing up to one ton of ice daily, providing affordable cold storage services to fisherfolk, food traders, smallholder farmers, and other businesses operating within Swali Market and neighboring communities.

The intervention is expected to significantly reduce food losses, improve product quality, increase incomes for market actors, and reduce dependence on costly, diesel-powered refrigeration systems, while expanding access to clean and reliable energy.

Speaking at the commissioning, PIND’s Executive Director, Mr. Sam Ogbemi Daibo, described the project as a practical demonstration of how renewable energy can drive inclusive economic growth. “This facility demonstrates that renewable energy is more than a source of electricity—it is a catalyst for livelihoods, enterprise growth, and economic resilience.

By supporting innovative businesses like ColdHubs, PIND is helping to build stronger market systems that reduce losses, increase incomes, and improve food security across the Niger Delta,” he said.

Founder and Chief Executive Officer of ColdHubs Limited, Mr. Nnaemeka Ikegwuonu, said the partnership expands access to proven cold-chain technology for underserved communities. “For many small-scale producers, the lack of reliable cold storage translates directly into lost income.

This partnership with PIND enables us to bring sustainable, solar-powered cold chain solutions closer to the people who need them most, helping preserve food quality, reduce waste, and improve livelihoods,” he said.

Market stakeholders welcomed the facility as a transformative investment in the local economy.

Mrs. Charity Ochiezi a fish trader at Swali Market noted that the cold room would significantly improve business operations. “Before now, we lost a large portion of our fish because we had no affordable way to preserve it. This facility will help us keep our products fresh for longer, reduce spoilage, and increase our earnings,” she said.

The Swali Market facility is one of several innovative clean-energy solutions supported under PIND’s Access to Energy and Market Systems Development programs to improve productivity, strengthen agricultural and fisheries value chains, and expand economic opportunities across the Niger Delta.

By combining renewable energy with market-driven innovation, the project provides a scalable model for reducing post-harvest losses, improving food security, and creating sustainable livelihoods in rural and coastal communities.