Nigeria is losing over N15billion annually to the importation of processed tomato. The Deputy Director, Procurement at the National Research Institute for Chemical Technology, Zaria, Alhaji Bello Abubakar, made the disclosure during the bidding for 2017 projects in Basawa, Zaria, Kaduna State.
He said that Nigeria was the leading producer of tomato in Africa and 13th in the world, yet the country had been importing over 66 million tons of processed tomato, valued at over N15 billion annually, according to CBN report.
Abubakar said in its effort to reduce the huge amount lost annually from importation of processed tomato, NARICT had invented and developed tomato processing technology
