From N60,000 to N150,000 per basket: Tomato prices explode in three weeks

Tomato prices have more than doubled across Nigerian markets in just three weeks, forcing households to cut back and switch to cheaper alternatives. A large basket of Jos tomatoes that sold for between N60,000 and N70,000 in May now costs between N120,000 and N150,000 at Mile 12 International Market in Lagos.

Price surge hits consumers hard

A market survey by Vanguard at Mile 12 International Market showed that a crate of tomatoes has climbed from about N25,000 to N70,000. Consumers say the rising cost has made everyday cooking more expensive and contributed to the country's growing food inflation. According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), food inflation increased from 16.68% in April 2026 to 16.96% in May 2026.

Tomatoes from the South-West have become more common in the market because they are cheaper. However, many traders and buyers complained that the variety contains more water and produces less paste than northern-grown tomatoes.

A foodstuff retailer, Madam Jerome, said many customers now buy tomatoes only because they are essential, not because they can comfortably afford them. “I bought a basket equivalent to three paint containers for N40,000. Many people prefer this type because of its plumpness and colour. Tomatoes are gold in the market now,” she said. She also recounted losing money after purchasing a basket of Jos tomatoes for N120,000, only to discover that many of the fruits beneath the top layer were unripe and partly spoiled.

Households adjust cooking habits

The rising prices have forced many families to change how they cook. Mrs Susan said tomatoes have almost disappeared from her family's weekly meals. “We now use vegetables, carrot and cabbage sauce and even palm kernel stew. The last vegetable sauce I made was as black as the back of a pot because I used very little tomato,” she said.

Mrs Ebele shared a similar experience, explaining that a paint bucket that once sold for N4,000 in her area now costs N10,000. “I buy only half the quantity and mix it with vegetables so it can go round my family,” she said. Another consumer, Blessing, said her family still prefers tomatoes from the North because they produce thicker and richer tomato paste.

Farmers blame poor conditions and plant closures

Farmers attributed the recurring price instability to the collapse of industrial off-take arrangements and the shutdown of major tomato processing companies across the country. According to them, the disappearance of large-scale buyers has weakened demand for locally produced tomatoes, discouraged farmers from expanding production, increased uncertainty in the market and ultimately contributed to higher prices for consumers.

Commenting on the latest increase, tomato trader Ibrahim Aminu blamed poor farming conditions in northern Nigeria. “Arewa are not farming well due to rainfall and drought on the farm,” he said. Nigeria remains Africa's second-largest producer of tomatoes after Egypt, with an estimated annual output of between 1.8 million and 2.3 million metric tonnes, but the commodity continues to experience sharp price fluctuations.

For Nigerian consumers, the tomato price shock adds to a broader food inflation crisis. Until processing plants resume operations and farming conditions improve in the north, households may have to keep relying on vegetables and palm kernel stew as substitutes.