Nigeria’s consumers are facing a surge in tomato prices, with costs skyrocketing across the country. The sharp increase has left many families scrambling for alternatives, highlighting the vegetable’s growing unaffordability.
As of June, BusinessDay’s market data analysis shows that the fresh vegetable prices were up nearly 188 percent year to date. Across Lagos, a big basket of fresh tomatoes averages N115,000, as compared to an average of N40,000 sold in January.
A small basket sells for N20,000 as against N7,000 sold in January. The average price of a crate of fresh tomatoes is N65,000.
Also, a 25kg bag of pepper, popularly known as ‘Rodo’, now sells for an average of N120,000 in Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial hub—four times its price of N30,000 in January 2025.
The price surge has been attributed to a combination of issues ranging from pest infestation to high logistic costs, climate change, and seasonality.
