What Does It Take to Turn Africa’s Perishable Harvests Into Global Products? with Funmilayo Ishola
Unlocking AfricaPlay episode
Show notes
Episode 241 with Funmilayo Ishola, Founder of Dehydrator Hub Agrifood Technology Limited, a Nigerian agrifood company tackling post harvest loss by transforming perishable produce into higher value, shelf stable ingredients.
Using hybrid solar powered dehydration and a Processing as a Service model, Dehydrator Hub gives farmers and women led agribusinesses access to processing infrastructure without requiring them to invest in expensive equipment. The company also provides training, regulatory compliance support and market access to help entrepreneurs build commercially sustainable food businesses.
Dehydrator Hub has rescued 65 tonnes of food from post harvest loss, helped participating farmers increase their incomes by 25 per cent and trained more than 2,500 women in food processing and entrepreneurship. Funmilayo is also a recipient of the 2026 Bayer Foundation Women Entrepreneurs Award, which supports women led enterprises developing scalable solutions in health and food security.
In this episode, Funmilayo shares the experiences that led her to establish Dehydrator Hub and explains what she has learnt from building the business within Nigeria’s agricultural value chain. She discusses the practical realities of turning perishable crops into commercially viable ingredients, matching processing capacity with market demand and preparing the company for its next phase of growth.
What We Discuss With Funmilayo
Why increasing agricultural production will not solve Africa’s food security challenge without investment in processing infrastructure.Who captures the value when agricultural produce is processed, and how can more of that income reach farmers?Can Processing as a Service remove the financial barriers preventing women led agribusinesses from entering food manufacturing?Why processing food does not automatically create value unless businesses can meet regulatory standards and secure reliable buyers.Could decentralised processing hubs become the missing infrastructure connecting Nigeria’s farmers to food manufacturers and export markets?Did you miss my previous episode where I discuss From Ethiopia to Africa: Building a Digital Healthcare Platform for over 500,000 Patients? Make sure to check it out!
Many of the businesses unlocking opportunities in Africa don’t do it alone. If you’d like strategic support on entering or expanding across African markets, reach out to our partners ETK Group:
www.etkgroup.co.uk
info@etkgroup.co.uk
