The harvest has pushed prices of several fresh foods sharply lower across Lagos. A 100kg bag of sweet potato now sells for ₦18,000, against ₦70,000 in July, a fall of 74.3% in two months, according to a market survey by BusinessDay.
Tomatoes and Plantain Follow
A big basket of fresh tomatoes at Mile 12 Market sells for ₦55,000, down from ₦80,000 in July, a fall of 31.3%. A big bunch of plantain now costs ₦10,500 against ₦22,000 in July, a drop of 52.3%, with medium bunches at ₦7,000 and small bunches at ₦3,500. MSME Africa reported the same easing, noting that yam, melon and pepper are also cheaper than two months ago.
What FoodPrices Agents Recorded
FoodPrices Nigeria data for the week of 18 September 2026, drawn from the Lagos State Ministry of Agriculture and Food Systems weekly survey, confirms the direction. Medium yam fell 7.3% to a mean of ₦2,410 per tuber across 10 markets, one of the largest weekly declines in the basket. Tomatoes eased a further 1.5% across the same markets.
Why Traders Expect a Rebound
Farmers and traders credit the harvest season that begins in August for the falls. They also warn the relief is temporary. According to BusinessDay, high transport costs and poor storage mean the glut cannot be moved or held cheaply. Produce that cannot be stored must be sold quickly, which drives prices down now but leaves little supply to cushion the months after harvest.
The Window for Buyers
For restaurants and large households, the current window favours produce that keeps. Yam stores better than tomatoes or plantain, and a 7.3% weekly fall in yam prices gives bulk buyers a reason to act before post-harvest prices return.
Live prices: foodprices.ng/real-time-prices/?category=Tubers