Tomato prices in parts of Lagos have climbed since September while pepper has become cheaper, traders told the News Agency of Nigeria in a market survey published on October 26, 2026.
Tomatoes Up at Costain and Suru-Alaba
At Costain Bus Stop, trader Malam Mohammed, who buys his stock at Mile 12 Market, said a paint of tomatoes now sells for ₦7,000, up from ₦6,000 in August and September, a 16.7% increase. A basket now costs ₦45,000 to ₦65,000, against ₦35,000 to ₦40,000 in the same period, NAN reported.
Mohammed said he had cut his tomato purchases to avoid spoilage losses, and that high costs made it hard to turn a profit. "This business is not a straight business," he said.
Another Costain trader, Mrs Rukayat Sherif, also put a paint at ₦7,000, against ₦4,000 to ₦5,000 in September. She said a basket of Ghana tomatoes, a smaller variety, has fallen to ₦40,000 to ₦45,000 from ₦50,000 and above, and that tomatoes damaged in transit were being sold cheaply to limit losses.
At Suru Market in Suru-Alaba, Mrs Regina Owho said a large basket costs about ₦50,000, up from about ₦40,000 in August and September. Consumer Mrs Mary Chigozie said a small quantity of tomatoes that once cost ₦200 or ₦300 now costs ₦500 or ₦1,000.
Pepper Supply Improves
Pepper prices have eased as supply rises. Sherif said a small bag of pepper now sells for ₦20,000 to ₦25,000, down from ₦30,000 to ₦35,000 in August and September, according to NAN. At Abule-Nla Junction, Mr Okoro Ebubechi said a small basket of pepper has dropped to ₦20,000 from ₦30,000 to ₦40,000 in September.
Not every trader reported a fall. At Suru Market, Mrs Patience Niju said a small bag of pepper still costs ₦25,000 and a larger bag ₦40,000, unchanged since August. A small bag of shombo sells for ₦20,000 and a larger bag for ₦30,000, she said.
Mrs Rukayat Rasheeb, who sells at Olaogun Street, said pepper is more plentiful now than in September. Consumer Mrs Teni David linked the seasonal surplus to ripening pepper and limited preservation facilities, and called for more processing centres.
Prices Expected to Rise in December
Traders cited transport and loading costs as a factor in prices. Several sellers and buyers told NAN they expect prices to rise towards December and the festive season, when pepper becomes scarcer.
The survey comes after the National Bureau of Statistics said tomato prices were among the items that fell on average in September, contributing to a 1.55% monthly drop in food prices, Vanguard reported. Lagos had the highest food inflation of any state that month, at 34.40%.
FoodPrices Nigeria tracks tomatoes, pepper (rodo), tatashe and shombo across Lagos markets, including Mile 12 Market, where many roadside traders buy their stock. Its captures will show whether the expected festive rise arrives.