Inflation & Prices
Tomato Ebola Poses Fresh Risk to Accelerating Nigerian Inflation
- Prices of the vegetable have surged due to the shortages
- ‘Tomato Ebola,’ dry weather and high fuel costs to blame
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Soaring tomato prices in Nigeria are creating a new headache for authorities, who are battling food inflation that’s at its highest in decades and has fanned protests and looting.
Agriculture Minister Mohammad Abubakar, in a recent post on X, blamed rising prices on production being hit by a severe infestation known as Tomato Ebola or Tomato Leaf Miner — caused by a moth-like insect. The government has responded by sending teams into the affected areas to combat the threat and help farmers recover their crops as quickly as possible.