Nigeria’s poultry industry remains one of the most lucrative agricultural segments in the country, with annual consumption estimated at 1.5 million tonnes of poultry meat, roughly one billion birds. Yet only about 30 percent of that demand is met locally, leaving an estimated ₦600 billion in unrealised sales for Nigerian farmers.

Market operators say the shortfall is largely driven by high input costs and pricing distortions within the supply chain. According to industry stakeholders, the structure of poultry distribution, particularly the dominance of middlemen, continues to limit farmers’ profitability and production capacity.

It is this gap that Cubeseed Africa aims to address. The startup, founded by Chinonyelum Mbanefo alongside Akeem Suara and Elohor Ebieroma, is building a marketplace that connects poultry farmers directly with bulk buyers such as restaurants and hotels.

 

Before launching Cubeseed, Mbanefo operated his own poultry business and experienced firsthand the challenges farmers face. He argues that middlemen effectively dictate prices, control access to markets, and often delay payments, disrupting farmers’ production cycles. For farmers running limited batches annually, delayed payments can mean missing an entire production round.

Cubeseed’s platform seeks to streamline this process. Buyers receive automated recommendations based on location and required volumes, reducing sourcing timelines from days to seconds. The platform also enables pre-orders, allowing buyers to lock in supply ahead of production and hedge against future price increases.

 

To build trust on both sides, payments are processed through an escrow system. Funds are secured upfront and released only after satisfactory delivery, ensuring protection for both farmers and buyers. In addition, Cubeseed has partnered with Sterling Bank to provide credit facilities, ensuring farmers receive payment even when buyers require deferred settlement.

Beyond facilitating transactions, the startup aims to introduce structure and transparency into what it estimates is a ₦900 billion poultry market. Mbanefo, who graduated as the best student in Agriculture before working in oil and gas and insurance, said his experience in highly structured industries shaped his approach to documentation and operational discipline in farming.

 

Cubeseed’s early traction suggests strong demand. A no-code proof of concept reportedly generated ₦27 million in orders within a week, though supply constraints prevented full fulfilment. That experience pushed the company to aggregate more farmers and build partnerships with integrated farms. The platform now has a database of over 4,000 farmers ahead of what it describes as its third major iteration, expected before the end of February 2026.

The startup was initially bootstrapped until it secured ₦3 million after winning at the Lagos Innovate Idea Hub 12.0 in January 2026. It plans to monetise by charging a 1.5 percent transaction fee, significantly lower than the margins typically taken by intermediaries.

 

While off-platform transactions remain a potential risk as trust builds between users, the embedded credit system may serve as a deterrent. As Cubeseed scales, its model could reshape poultry distribution and potentially serve as a framework for improving efficiency across other fragmented agricultural value chains in Nigeria.

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