Nigeria is witnessing an unprecedented surge in the price of fresh pepper as scarcity grips major food markets across the country.
A big bag of ‘Rodo, ‘ a commonly consumed variety of fresh pepper, now sells for as high as ₦150,000, a 400% increase compared to ₦30,000 recorded during the same period last year.
The steep rise has been linked to a widespread pest infestation that has severely affected pepper farms across key producing states.
Kano, Nigeria’s largest producer of pepper, alongside Kaduna, Jigawa, Plateau, Sokoto, and Bauchi, has seen significant yield losses since February.
Farmers and stakeholders in the agriculture sector have raised concerns over the mysterious nature of the outbreak, which they say is unlike anything previously encountered in the region.
The infestation has impacted both open-field and greenhouse farms, disrupting supply chains and creating panic among food vendors and consumers.
Abdullahi Ali, Chairman of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Kano Chapter, confirmed the development, stating that entire farmlands have been wiped out.
“This unknown pest has devastated our production. We started seeing signs in February, and it’s now clear that the situation is responsible for the massive scarcity and price spike,” he said.
Kamal Mustapha, a pepper grower and Vice President of the Agriculture Group in the Kano Chamber of Commerce, added that even controlled greenhouse systems were not spared.
“We’ve never seen a pest behave like this before, and unfortunately, there is no immediate remedy. We’ve reached out to the Ministry of Agriculture and the National Horticultural Research Institute for intervention,” he said.
The impact has been felt nationwide, especially in southern cities where major pepper markets such as Mile 12 in Lagos are reporting extremely limited supplies.
Yemisi Adegoroye, a trader at Mile 12 Market, described the situation as dire.
“I travelled to Kano and couldn’t even purchase 10 bags. Right now, we’re selling at ₦140,000 to ₦150,000 per bag due to transportation costs and market fees,” she said.
Traders have begun exploring the option of importing pepper from neighbouring countries to augment the domestic shortfall.
However, the high Naira/CFA exchange rate is expected to drive up the cost further, potentially worsening food inflation in the short term.
Despite the severity of the outbreak, a source at the Federal Ministry of Agriculture noted that pepper is not listed among the focus crops currently receiving attention, raising concerns about institutional response and preparedness.
With no immediate solution in sight, market analysts warn that continued scarcity may affect food affordability across households and further complicate Nigeria’s inflation outlook, particularly in the food sub-index.
The development underscores the need for urgent intervention by both federal and state authorities, as well as increased investment in crop disease monitoring and rapid response mechanisms to protect Nigeria’s already fragile food supply chain.
