ABSTRACT
This study examined the use of blockchain technology to improve food traceability and transparency in Nigeria, with a specific focus on Kano Metropolis. The Nigerian food supply chain is characterized by significant challenges including fragmentation, lack of standardization, inadequate tracking mechanisms, and frequent incidents of food contamination and fraud, all of which undermine food safety and consumer confidence. Blockchain technology, with its decentralized and immutable ledger, offers a promising solution by providing a transparent and secure method for tracking food products from farm to table. The study was guided by three main objectives: to assess the current state of food traceability in Nigeria, to evaluate the potential of blockchain technology for food traceability, and to identify and address the challenges and opportunities associated with its adoption. A descriptive survey research design was adopted, and data were collected from 272 respondents selected from an estimated population of 850 stakeholders in the food supply chain within Kano Metropolis, using the Taro Yamane formula for sample size determination. The respondents comprised farmers, processors, distributors, retailers, regulatory agency staff, and technology providers. A structured questionnaire and semi-structured interview guides were used as instruments for data collection. The validity of the instruments was established through expert review, while reliability was determined using the test-retest method, yielding a coefficient of 0.82. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics including frequencies, percentages, and mean scores, while the Chi-square test was employed to test the research hypothesis at a 0.05 significance level. The findings revealed that the current food traceability system in Nigeria is critically deficient, characterized by inadequate tracking mechanisms (mean = 2.97), high frequency of contamination and fraud incidents (mean = 3.13), fragmentation of the supply chain (mean = 2.91), and lack of standardized procedures (mean = 2.91). However, respondents expressed strong optimism about blockchain's potential, agreeing that it can provide transparent records of transactions (mean = 3.08), enable real-time tracking (mean = 2.98), build consumer trust (mean = 3.13), and automate compliance through smart contracts (mean = 2.96). Significant barriers to adoption were identified, including high implementation costs (mean = 3.25), poor technological infrastructure (mean = 3.05), lack of stakeholder awareness (mean = 2.99), and absence of a clear regulatory framework (mean = 3.09). The hypothesis test rejected the null hypothesis, confirming that blockchain technology has a significant potential to improve food traceability and transparency in Nigeria (χ² = 28.14, p = 0.001). The study concluded that while blockchain technology holds immense promise for revolutionizing food traceability in Nigeria, successful adoption is contingent upon overcoming financial, infrastructural, and regulatory challenges. Recommendations include the development of a comprehensive regulatory framework, significant investment in digital infrastructure, stakeholder education and capacity building, and the formation of industry consortia to share implementation costs. The study contributes to the growing body of knowledge on blockchain applications in developing countries and provides empirical evidence to inform policy and investment decisions in the Nigerian agricultural sector
