Nigeria's federal government is pushing ahead with plans to eradicate losses to tomato growers. In May 2025, the Ministry of Agriculture estimated that the pest caused losses exceeding N1.3 billion and contributed to rising market prices.
The ministry has therefore launched the programme to address the rapid spread of the pest, described as the most destructive threat to tomato crops. The moth species feeds on leaves and fruits and can cause losses of 80 per cent to 100 per cent in untreated fields.
The move follows reports of tomato crop losses linked to Tuta absoluta in several northern producing states, including Kano, Katsina and Kaduna, during the previous year. Nigeria produced 3.73 million tons of tomatoes in 2024, according to National Agricultural Extension and Research Liaison Services (NAERLS) data. Farmers cultivated nearly 824,000 hectares, while output remained broadly flat year-on-year.
The initiative will raise farmer awareness, distribute approved phytosanitary inputs and provide technical support on integrated pest management practices to quickly contain infestations. In addition, the programme will promote two tomato varieties, HORTITOM4 and HORTITOM5, which researchers developed in 2025. Authorities designed the varieties for open-field, greenhouse and irrigated cultivation. Officials stated that the varieties show good disease tolerance and yield between 21.7 and 27.2 tons per hectare.
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