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Seasonal fluctuations jack up price of fresh tomato basket to N150,000 in Lagos

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By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

Muslims gearing up for the Eid El-Kabir celebrations will need to reconsider their choice of delicacy as the price of fresh tomatoes in markets across Lagos has risen by over 100% in the month of May alone.

Traders have attributed the spike to regular seasonal fluctuations in the quantity of tomatoes produced. They say the harvest period for the current species of tomatoes being sold is almost over with the coming of the wet season across the country.

Umar Tanko, a tomato seller at the popular Mile 12 Market in Lagos, told Nairametrics that a basket of premium quality fresh tomatoes, which sold for between N50,000 and N80,000 in April, now sells for between N140,000 and N150,000

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On the other hand, lower-quality tomatoes, damaged during the journey from the North to the South, currently sell for around N60,000 to N100,000, depending on the severity of the damage. Last month, a basket of similar quality went for N30,000.

While tomatoes usually take the spotlight, fresh pepper, another important ingredient in the popular Jollof rice delicacy, has also seen a nearly 100% increase over the past month.

According to Umar, “This custard bucket of pepper sold for N3,000 or N4,000 last month, now it sells for N8,000.”

Additionally, Shefiu, a tomato seller at the Flour Food Market in Ikorodu, Lagos, said the cause of the spike in tomato prices can be attributed to the reduced supply following the outset of the rainy season.

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According to him, the rains have started in the North, signalling the end of the current species of tomatoes being consumed. He also noted that the importation of tomatoes from Cameroon and Ghana could help support the supply deficiency.

On prices, Shefiu said, “We sold the custard bucket of tomatoes last month for N4,000 and N5,000. But now, I sell it for N10,000. Mine is cheap because I have someone supplying me directly from Kano. I don’t buy from Mile 12.”

Price of tomatoes in other Nigerian cities
Furthermore, checks by Nairametrics on the prices of tomatoes across Lagos, Edo, Abuja, and Delta in the month of May showed a similar pattern of increase.

Residents in Effurun and Warri in Delta State complained that the least amount of tomatoes anyone can buy is N500, and a basket of fresh quality tomatoes sells for about N120,000 to N140,000.

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In Onitsha, Anambra State, the price of a basket of tomatoes ranges from N110,000 to N140,000.

More woes for Nigerians

The spike in the prices of fresh tomatoes adds to the inflation crisis currently being witnessed by Nigerians. In April, year-on-year inflation rose for the 16th consecutive month, dating back to December 2022 when inflation last declined.

Food inflation, however, showed tepid growth in April, reaching 40.53%.

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According to the NBS Food Price Watch in April, the price of 1kg of tomatoes has risen year-on-year by 131.58% between April 2023 and April 2024. However, between March and April 2024, the average price of 1kg of tomatoes increased by 17.06%.

A recent SBM Intelligence Jollof Rice Index noted that the average cost of cooking Jollof rice across major cities in the country hit N17,000 in March 2024 from N13,106 in October 2023.

The increase in the prices of jollof rice’s primary ingredients (tomatoes and fresh pepper) could further exacerbate the amount Nigerians spend on their cherished delicacy as Eid El-Kabir approaches. This could portend, as the SBM Intelligence report states, a “crisis at the tabl

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NECO accredits more foreign schools for SSCE, BECE

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The National Examinations Council (NECO) has given accreditation to more foreign schools to write the Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) and the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE).

The Acting Director, Information and Public Relations, Mr. Azeez Sani, disclosed this in a statement.

The newly accredited schools are in Niger Republic and Equatorial Guinea.

“NECO Accreditation Team visited the Schools to assess their readiness to write the SSCE and BECE.

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“The Accreditation Team inspected classrooms, laboratories, libraries, computer laboratories, workshops, examination halls and sport facilities to determine their adequacy and suitability for NECO Examinations.

“After a thorough evaluation and comprehensive assessment, the schools were granted full SSCE and full BECE accreditation status,” the statement said.

The statement added that the accreditation of additional foreign schools is a testament to NECO’s commitment to providing quality education and assessment beyond the shores of Nigeria.

“With its expanding global presence, NECO is poised to become a leading examination body in Africa, offering opportunities for students worldwide to benefits from its expertise, thus contributing to the advancement of education in Africa and beyond.”

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In another development, the statement disclosed that candidates are participating in the on-going NECO SSCE External in Diffa, Niger Republic.

“The UNHCR School, Diffa, Niger Republic is the first NECO SSCE External Centre outside Nigeria.”

NECO examinations are now written by candidates in Benin Republic, Togo, Cote’ d’Ivoire, Niger Republic, Equatorial Guinea and Saudi Arabia.

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Guardiola suffers worst defeat of career as Tottenham hammer Man City 4-0

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Manchester City manager, Pep Guardiola, suffered the worst defeat of his managerial career as they lost 4-0 to Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday night.

The Premier League champions were already on a run of four consecutive defeats ahead of the visit of the North London side.

James Maddison scored twice in the first half to set Spurs on their way to a sensational win.

Pedro Porro drilled in a third, before Brennan Johnson got on the scoresheet late in the game.

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The result leaves City in second place with 23 points. They could go eight points behind Liverpool by the end of this Game Week.

Guardiola takes his men to Anfield next weekend.

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FUOYE Re-Marks Exam Papers of Student Failed By Lecturer Over Sex-for-Grade Scandal, Secures Justice

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The Federal University, Oye Ekiti, Ekiti State, has cleared a female student, Ramota Olahanloye, to graduate following the re-marking of her final-year examination scripts.

Olahanloye had alleged that a lecturer, Dr. Anthony Agbegbedia, demanded sexual favours from her, and when she declined, he deliberately failed her in two final-year courses.

In a statement issued on Friday by the Special Adviser on Media to the Vice-Chancellor, Dr. Wole Balogun, the university confirmed that Olahanloye’s allegations were investigated, and her scripts were re-marked.

“The young lady’s scripts were re-marked, and she performed fairly better than the scores initially awarded by Dr. Anthony Agbegbedia,” the statement read.

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According to Balogun, the university management approved Olahanloye’s revised results, which qualified her for graduation.

“The university management has given executive approval for her results to be processed. She has since commenced her final clearance from relevant units of the university,” the statement added.

Balogun also disclosed that Agbegbedia had been sanctioned by the institution for his misconduct.

Olahanloye expressed her joy over the resolution of the case, saying, “I am happy that I have gotten justice, and I really appreciate the university Vice-Chancellor for setting up the committee that investigated the matter.

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“I was shown my entire results, including the graduation list with my name on it. I have started my clearance as a graduating student of the university, and I am truly happy.”

Her father, Rasaki Olahanloye, also lauded the university for its commitment to justice.

“I can confirm to the world that FUOYE has served justice to my daughter. I was shown her upgraded results after her scripts were re-marked, and it is clear that she passed.

“The university fulfilled its promise to ensure fairness, and I appreciate the VC, Prof. Sunday Fasina, and the committee members for ensuring my daughter gets justice,” he said.

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