More Than Data: How Evidence is Powering Resilience in Ghana and Nigeria’s Informal Economy

At Ndarama Works, we believe data is most powerful when it leads to action. That’s why our latest work with the Shell Foundation and partners—under the Scaling Passive Affordable Cooling for Environmental Sustainability (SPACES) project—goes beyond documentation. It lays the groundwork for practical, scalable interventions that match the urgency of climate change and decent working condition realities on the ground.

What We Did

Between March and April 2025, we engaged 967 informal traders across six cities in Ghana and Nigeria. Using empathy mapping and user-centered design, we listened to how traders truly experience heat and what would help them stay productive, safe, and in business.

What We Learned:

Traders are already coping—but inefficiently. Most approaches are costly, unsustainable, and ineffective, from wet towels to bottled water to early market closures.
Affordability unlocks adoption. Interest rose significantly across all cooling technology products when price points dropped by 30–50%.
Distribution is already happening, but it is underutilized. Informal supply chains are functioning, but most innovators underutilize them.

What’s Next:

Our findings aren’t sitting on shelves. They’re directly shaping:

Product design rooted in traders’ realities
Pilot rollouts in cities like Accra, Kumasi, Lagos, and Kano
Partner strategies built around last-mile networks and trader cooperatives

Why It Matters

In places like Mile 12 (Lagos) or Madina Market (Accra), cooling is not a luxury—it’s survival. Without it, traders lose income, perishable goods, and health is compromised. With the right technologies, cooling becomes a business enabler that boosts resilience across entire informal economies.

Conclusion

At Ndarama Works, we don’t stop at insights. We turn evidence into action. By working with real users, partners, and systems, we’re helping shape a future where heat doesn’t limit opportunity but drives innovation. The SPACES project forms part of the Technology-to-Market partnership between the Shell Foundation, Trane Technologies, and the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO).