Business

Tomato Scarcity Looms, As Farmers Lose N1.3bn, 300 Hectares To ‘Ebola’

Published

2 years ago

April 27, 2023

Tuta Absoluta, also known as Tomato Ebola, is currently ravaging tomato farms in parts of the country, costing as much as N1.3 billion is economic dimensions, with scarcity looming.

The situation has led to a collaborative efforts by Federal Government; Nigeria Agribusiness Group, NABG; Hort Nigeria; Nigerian Horticultural Research Institute, NIHORT; Sygenta; International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, IITA, and others to tackle the dosease.

They raised the alarm over Tomato Ebola at a briefing by Horti Nigeria, supported by the Netherlands, adding that the ravaging insects were ruining huge investments of farmers in Kano, Kaduna, Katsina and Gombe States.

The President, NABG, Emmanuel Ijewere, said stakeholders have resolved, therefore declared total ‘War’ on the invading insects.

Ijewere pointed out that the worrisome development cannot be left alone for the farmers as NABG was organising a stakeholders’ meeting to address the challenge, because it is the farmers who are the major sufferers and not even the processors, in the sense that they have invested heavily on their farms for tomato production.

He said: “Tuta Absoluta is an insect that has ravaged tomato farms and from what we have discovered, the insect is very devastating to the tomato and is so smart.

“The insects have decided to build their homes under the leaves and when the insecticide is sprayed it doesn’t affect them.

“The affected states are mainly Kano, Kaduna, Katsina and Gombe, but the insects don’t need visa to go to any other states as far as the conditions are right.

“Climate change has enhanced the movement of pests around the field; the warm environment helps them to spread wide, increased humidity allow these pests to thrive, hence the new outbreak of Tuta Absoluta.

“We are glad to have the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development here and we are working together to solve this problem.

“The bottom line is that the biggest sufferers are farmers who are already in trouble, and they have invested in buying inputs, and it is time to harvest and there is nothing to harvest.

“It is ‘war’ we are going to declare against these insects and all of us here will be providing the ‘weapons’ to achieve it.”

Ground Zero

Also in a remark, the Director, Horticulture, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr Deola Lordbanjoce, explained that, “This current crisis with Tuta Absoluta started from Galama Local Government in Kano.

“When it was reported we started our investigation and we found out that about 300 hectares in that Local Government alone were affected by this infestation.

“And from our end we need to look into the economics of what we are talking about.

“Then we got to know economically that the farmers in that local government arising from the infestation of Tuta Absoluta may have lost about N1.3 billion.

“We are working in collaboration with the National Tomato Growers, Processors and Marketers Association of Nigeria every time and investigating what is happening in other states.

“And we have our records already and we are working on two things; the Ministry is convening a stakeholders’ meeting, which may be merged with what NABG is planning.

“Number two, the Ministry is sourcing for funds seriously and interventions to solve critical problems of Tuta Absoluta and we are making some money available to NIHORT to produce the hybrid seeds they just developed and to procure some IPM packages to control Tuta Absoluta.

“Our tomato need as a country is about 5.4 million metric tones and we cannot meet the 1.3 million metric tonnes deficit, and now that we have Tuta Absoluta that means the deficit will rise to three metric tonnes.

“That is a crisis if that is allowed and will aggravate the cost of purchase by consumers, which will indeed go high.”

The Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer, CEO, NIHORT, Dr Mohammad Attanda, represented by the Head, Biopesticide Center, NIHORT, Oladigbolu Abiola, recalled that in 2015, the pest caused monumental destruction and disruption of the tomato value chain.

“The sole dependence on synthetic insecticides for the control of Tuta has resulted in development of resistance – a change in the sensitivity of Tuta population to synthetic pesticides, resulting in the failure of a correct application of the pesticides to control Tuta as is being experienced now, hence aggravating outbreaks whilst the food security of the nation is threatened.”

Recommendations

However, amongst recommendations made by the NIHORT boss include; Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to incorporate
NIHORT sustainable Tuta Integrated Management Package for tomato production in the national tomato policy to stem the tide of this occurrence;

Farmers should strive to adopt the planting of NIHORT’s recently released tomato seeds bred for high yield, tolerance to fusarium, good shelf life and nutrition qualities.

The Director General, DG, NABG, Dr Manzo Maigari, recalled that in 2016 and 2017, the level of Tuta Absoluta’s devastation reached an epidemic level, but NABG along with other partners proffered some solutions.

“Today it (Tuta Absoluta) is back and we have to call on these major stakeholders to come together so that we can agree on the way forward.

“We have also seen the entrance of a new stakeholder, Horti Nigeria, funded by the Dutch Government, and they also have a regime of practices that has proven beneficial to farmers because in the clusters that are managed by them so far there is resistance by the Tuta Absoluta.

“Therefore, this adds to the bouquet of solutions we want to present to farmers so that the whole thing will have an integrated approach,” Maigari stated.

Meanwhile, the Secretary General, National Tomato Growers, Processors and Marketers Association of Nigeria, Sani Danladi, lamented the huge losses over 500 farmers have incurred in Kano, while they are yet to know how many farmers are being affected in Katsina, Jigawa, Kaduna and Gombe.

Danladi said: “This ‘war’ is not only for the government and farmers but for all Nigerians.

“When Tuta Absoluta enters the farmer’s farm it destroys everything there within three days no matter how big or small it is.

“It is very devastating because it destroys all investment in the farm.

“Looking at the quantum of investing on one hectare of farmland to produce tomato it costs not less than N1.7 million.

“It is not a small amount of money farmers are losing every year of this disease manifests.

“It is not occuring early in the season but when temperature rises to high degrees and that is why some farmers are afraid in going into late transplanting of tomato.

“From January to March, tomato is very cheap in Nigeria but from April upward it becomes very scarce because farmers are afraid of doing late transplanting.

“This year the devastation is very high because we had low production and the disease came and ravaged all produced by the farmers and that is why we have come out to cry and tell the government and Nigerians that on this issue we have to take a holistic approach to proffer solutions.

“We have reported it to the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, NABG and other stakeholders on how can we stop the spread of this disease because we are afraid it might spread to other States.

“This year more than 300 hectares have been destroyed by this disease which affected more than 500 farmers only in Kano State, but also affected farmers in Kaduna, Katsina, Jigawa and Gombe States, and we are still collecting the data from the remaining states, and that is why tomato is very scarce now.

“Now 90 per cent of tomato in Kano has gone because of Tuta Absoluta devastation.

“It is different from caterpillars but this one is very devastating as you can’t eat it because is dangerous to human health.”
VANGUARD

Up Next

Currency Outside Banks Rises 66% To N1.4 trn

Don't Miss

MultiChoice Increases DSTv, GOTv Subscription Rates By 17%

Comments

Business

Fuel Scarcity Imminent As NUPENG, Dangote Face-off Festers Business

Published

18 hours ago

September 5, 2025

Editor

The stability in the distribution and availability of petroleum products being enjoyed by Nigerians is about to be aborted as a result of the seeming cold war between the management of the Dangote Refinery and one of the umbrella unions of workers in the oil industry, the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG).

NUPENG, in a statement jointly signed by Comrades Williams Akporeha and Afolabi Olawale, President and General Secretary, respectively of NUPENG and issued to newsmen in Abuja on Friday, the Union accused the management of Dangote Refinery of alleged anti-labour practices, inimical to the survival and means of livelihoods of its members under its Petroleum and Tanker Drivers Branch.

The Union specifically expressed strong reservations about the position of Chairman of Dangote Refinery, Aliko Dangote, that drivers recruited for operations of its 10,000 Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) Trucks imported into the country would not be allowed to join any trade union.

The Union described the position taken by the management of Dangote Refinery as an affront on the right of association, guaranteed under the 1999 Constitution, and a breach of relevant international labour laws to which Nigeria is a signatory.

The NUPENG recalled several meetings it initiated, jointly with the leadership of the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners ( NARTO), to prevail on Aliko Dangote to rescind his stance not to allow its drivers to join trade unions. The Union expressed regret that its appeals fell on deaf ears.

“Arising from the unfortunate outcome of the meeting, the leadership of the Union has made several efforts to get relevant institutions of the country to make Alhaji Aliko Dangote and his cousin, Alhaji Sayyu Ali Dantata, follow the line of global best practices and decency, but all to no avail.

“To our utmost shock, Alhaji Sayyu Aliu Dantata’s MRS commenced the recruitment of drivers for the imported CNG Trucks on Friday, 29th August 2025. “The drivers being recruited are being forced to sign an undertaking not to belong to any existing union in the Oil and Gas Industry.

“NUPENG is seriously concerned and disturbed with the unconscionable business practices of Alhaji Sayyu Aliu Dantata and Alhaji Aliko Dangote, who are scared of allowing unions to exist in their business outfits. To us, amassing wealth on the basis of enslavement, depriving workers of a union and a voice, amounts to creating filthy wealth.

“NUPENG will not stand idly by while these billionaires seek to destroy the livelihoods of thousands of workers, including tanker drivers.

“NUPENG stood in solidarity with Dangote Refinery during its construction and commissioning.

“We did so in good faith, in expectation that it would create jobs, strengthen local capacity, and benefit the Nigerian people, under a conducive atmosphere for unions to thrive.

“Unfortunately, Alhaji Aliko Dangote has chosen to betray that trust by scheming to monopolise distribution, crush competition, and enslave the sector and raise prices, which would ultimately result in an attack on the living standards of the masses of ordinary Nigerians.

“This is not philanthropy, it is economic sabotage!”
While appealing to relevant oil industry regulatory agencies to wade into the unfolding crisis, the Union dropped the hint that it would call on its members to down tools and shun loading of petroleum products, effective from Monday, September 8.

“We call on the Nigerian Midstream & Downstream Petroleum Authority (the Authority, for
short) to invoke its powers under Section 32(u) & (aa) of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA). Under those two provisions, the Authority is empowered to promote competition and private sector participation in the midstream and downstream petroleum operations.

“The Authority has responsibility to identify, investigate, and prevent abuse of dominant positions and
restrictive business practices with regard to midstream and downstream petroleum operations.

“Nigeria is a member of the international community and a member state of the International Labour Organisation. Nigeria has ratified Convention No. 87 of 1948, the Convention on Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise, 1948. This Convention had
been ratified by Nigeria as far back as 17th October 1960. Under the Convention, workers have the right to join unions of their choice, for the protection of their employment and trade union rights, and without prior authorization of any employer or authority.

“Indeed, by virtue of section 254C (2) of the Constitution of Nigeria, a ratified ILO Convention is a constitutional provision.

“Therefore, any practice or policy by any employer that seeks to deprive workers of the right of association is an affront to the Constitution.

“Above all, the rights of association, including membership of trade unions, are guaranteed by Section 40 of the Constitution. Alhaji Aliko Dangote and his cousin, Alhaji Sayyu Aliu Dantata, should not be allowed to enslave Nigerian workers. They should be made to be lawful business persons and not lawless individuals or business outfits. Nigeria is a country of laws, not a lawless society.

“By this statement, we call on the Federal Government of Nigeria and its agencies, including well-meaning segments of the Nigerian society, to call the two trillionaire businessmen to order. They should be told to obey the laws of Nigeria. If they persist in their anti-union, tyrannical attitudes, NUPENG is set and ready to mobilise its forces to fight within the framework of the law.

“Meanwhile, since Alh Aliko Dangote and his cousin have resolved to replace all Petroleum Tanker Drivers in Nigeria, and no one or institution can stop them, the members of the Petroleum Tanker Drivers Branch of NUPENG will, from Monday, 8th September 2025, start
looking for alternative employment/skills and sources of livelihoods.

“We plead with the general public to bear any inconveniences our struggle against this tyranny and indecency may cause.“
(TRIBUNE)

Business

FG Offers Up To 16.54% Yield On September Savings Bonds

Published

5 days ago

September 1, 2025

Editor

The Federal Government, through the Debt Management Office, is offering investors annual yields of up to 16.541% on its September 2025 Federal Government of Nigeria Savings Bonds.

The DMO, in a circular on its website on Monday, announced that the subscription window opens immediately and will close on Friday, September 5, 2025, with settlement scheduled for September 10, 2025.

Coupon payments will be made quarterly on March 10, June 10, September 10, and December 10 and will be paid directly to investors.

The DMO offered investors two subscription categories of the Federal Government Savings Bond.

The first is a two-year bond, which will mature on September 10, 2027, and attracts an annual interest rate of 15.541 per cent.

The second is a three-year bond, set to mature on September 10, 2028, with a higher annual interest rate of 16.541 per cent.

The two-year bond interest rate rose to 15.541% in September 2025, up from 14.401% in August.

Similarly, the three-year bond recorded an increase to 16.541% in September, compared to 15.401% in the previous month.

The FGN Savings Bond programme, launched in 2017, aims to deepen the domestic bond market, promote financial inclusion, and give retail investors access to secure, low-risk government securities.

Each bond unit is priced at ₦1,000, with a minimum subscription of ₦5,000 and additional subscriptions in multiples of ₦1,000. Individual investors can subscribe up to ₦50 million.

On the status of FGN Savings Bonds, DMO noted it “qualifies as securities in which trustees can invest under the Trustee Investment Act; Qualifies as Government securities within the meaning of Company Income Tax Act (“CITA”) and Personal Income Tax Act (“PITA”) for Tax Exemption for Pension Funds, amongst other investors.

“Listed on The Nigerian Exchange Limited (and); qualifies as a liquid asset for liquidity ratio calculation for banks.”

The office said the bond is “backed by the full faith and credit of the Federal Government of Nigeria and charged upon the general assets of Nigeria.”

Business

NNPCL Reduces Fuel Price After Dangote Refinery’s Adjustment

Published

3 weeks ago

August 14, 2025

Editor

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited has reduced its premium motor spirit pump price on Thursday, according to DAILY POST.

It was confirmed that NNPCL retail outlets in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, have reduced their pump price to N890 per litre from N945.

This new fuel price has been reflected in NNPCL retail outlets such as mega station Danziyal Plaza, Central Area, Wuse Zone 4, Wuse Zone 6, and other of its filling stations in the nation’s capital.

The latest downward review of fuel price in NNPCL outlets represents an N55 reduction in fuel pump price.

“It was reduced to N890 per litre this afternoon, down from N945,” an NNPCL fuel attendant told DAILY POST anonymously on Thursday.

This comes a Nigerian filling station, MRS Empire Energy, on Thursday adjusted their fuel pump price to N885 and N946 per litre, down from N910 and N955 per litre.

The latest fuel price reduction trend is unconnected to Dangote Refinery’s ex-depot petrol price adjustment by N30 to N820 per litre from N850 and the price of crude oil in the international market.