The Federal Government has confirmed that Nigeria has suffered losses exceeding N1.3 billion due to an outbreak of Tuta absoluta, a highly destructive pest also known as the tomato leaf miner or “Tomato Ebola,” across three northern states.
Senator Abubakar Kyari, Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, disclosed this on Wednesday in Abuja during a four-day capacity-building workshop for financial institutions. The workshop is being held by HortiNigeria in collaboration with the Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL) Plc.
According to Kyari, the pest infestation has significantly disrupted tomato production in Kano, Katsina, and Kaduna, leading to a dramatic spike in tomato prices—from N5,000 to as high as N30,000 for a 50kg basket. This surge has contributed to rising food inflation, placing added strain on Nigerian households.
“The outbreak underscores the fragility of Nigeria’s horticultural systems. This invasive pest can destroy entire tomato crops in just 48 hours, leading to devastating yield losses,” Kyari said.
Kyari emphasized the urgent need for integrated pest management, investment in resilient crop varieties, and stronger support systems for farmers to protect national food security.
He explained that tomatoes and peppers—essential ingredients in virtually all Nigerian meals—have become baseline commodities for household consumption. When their prices rise, it sets off a chain reaction that affects families, restaurants, and food vendors alike.
Citing data from the 2024 National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), the Minister noted that tomatoes led the food price index with a 320% year-on-year increase, followed by peppers and other horticultural products—intensifying the cost of living, especially for low-income families.
The Minister described horticulture as a “sleeping giant” in Nigerian agriculture that needs urgent awakening through structured investment and targeted financial support. Horticulture includes the cultivation of fruits, vegetables, herbs, spices, flowers, and ornamentals—and, Kyari noted, it is much more than a sub-sector.
“Horticulture is a powerful engine for rural transformation, job creation, improved nutrition, and trade diversification,” Kyari said.
With rising urbanization and growing consumer interest in healthier diets, demand for fresh produce is rapidly increasing. He argued that horticulture is ideally positioned to meet this demand and offers a high-value, fast-yield alternative to staple crops.
The sector, he said, absorbs labour year-round—especially among women and youth—and links directly to other industries like food processing, packaging, retail, and exports. It also promotes climate resilience through irrigation and protected cultivation techniques.
Kyari called on financial institutions to tailor their lending practices to better support the unique needs of the horticulture value chain. He recommended that they move away from generic lending models and instead adopt custom financial products, such as:
Seasonal credit lines
Equipment leasing
Invoice discounting
Trade financing
Advancing Nutrition and Smallholder Income
Horticulture also plays a critical role in improving food and nutrition security, with crops rich in key nutrients such as vitamins A and C, iron, zinc, and folate—important for child development, maternal health, and disease prevention.
Kyari emphasized that supporting horticulture can help end malnutrition, diversify farmer income, and boost Nigeria’s self-sufficiency through import substitution and export growth. He noted that crops like tomatoes, cucumbers, pineapples, citrus, and plantains are in high demand domestically and have strong commercial potential.