Tomato producers call dismantling of checkpoints across Nigeria to boost food supply chain, ease farmers’ burden
The National President of the Tomato and Orchard Producers Association of Nigeria (TOPAN), Bola Oyeleke, has endorsed the joint decision by the Federal Government and the Nigeria Governors’ Forum to eliminate unauthorized checkpoints and harmonize levies nationwide. He described the initiative as a long-overdue structural reform that could help revive Nigeria’s struggling agricultural value chain, particularly for perishable produce like tomatoes and vegetables.
In an interview with Daily Independent, Oyeleke highlighted the harmful impacts of illegal roadblocks—including delays, extortion, produce spoilage, inflated food prices, and diminished returns for farmers. According to him, these barriers affect more than just transport; they represent a systemic inefficiency that disproportionately burdens smallholder farmers and exposes them to avoidable losses.
He further decried the multiple taxation systems on both roads and in markets, urging the government to establish a centralised and transparent taxation structure that ensures ease of doing business for food producers, traders, and transporters.
“It is not only about extorting money. These people are very brutal to truck drivers. When the drivers try to avoid them, it can lead to serious accidents,” Oyeleke warned.
The TOPAN President underscored that many farmers are forced to accept unfairly low farm gate prices due to the cascading costs of illegal fees and transport delays—leading to economic hardship and discouraging production growth.
He concluded that while the resilience of smallholder farmers is commendable, without structural reforms, the agricultural supply chain will remain stifled.
Source: Tribune Online
Expert Review for Agri-Food Stakeholders
The issue of illegal checkpoints and fragmented levies is a chronic bottleneck in Nigeria’s agri-food logistics. The recent government initiative to address this presents both opportunity and urgency for sector-wide reform. Here’s what stakeholders should consider:
- Transport Efficiency is a Food Security Issue
Perishable goods like tomatoes are highly time-sensitive. Delays caused by checkpoints directly translate to post-harvest losses, reduce shelf life, and cause price spikes in urban markets. Removing illegal roadblocks could lead to a significant improvement in produce flow and market stability.
- Illegal Levies Undermine Smallholder Viability
For small-scale producers, every added cost—whether through bribes, unofficial levies, or multiple taxes—shrinks profit margins. Often, they must sell at reduced prices to middlemen who factor in these “invisible” costs. This results in low returns and reduced reinvestment in production.
- Food Prices are Inflation-Sensitive to Logistics
Transportation hurdles directly influence food inflation. When logistics become more expensive and risky, the cost is passed on to consumers. Eliminating extortion points and harmonizing levies could help stabilize prices and improve affordability, especially in urban areas.
- Harmonized Tax Systems Create Market Confidence
A streamlined, transparent tax and levy system can boost private sector participation, reduce informal trading costs, and encourage formal investment in food logistics. It also ensures fair competition and minimizes corruption.
- Policy Enforcement is Key
Declarations alone will not fix the problem. What’s needed is a robust monitoring framework involving security agencies, transport unions, and civil society groups to enforce the ban on illegal checkpoints and track compliance across states.
- Stakeholder Collaboration is Vital
The involvement of producer groups like TOPAN is essential. They provide ground-level feedback and help the government stay aligned with real challenges. Engaging associations across other value chains (e.g., rice, poultry, fish) can build sector-wide momentum for logistics reform.
- Digital Solutions Can Enhance Transparency
Introducing e-levy systems, digital transport permits, and unified agro-logistics dashboards could modernize how produce is moved and monitored across the country—reducing human interference and improving accountability.
Conclusion
The government’s move to dismantle illegal checkpoints and harmonize agricultural levies is more than administrative—it is an economic necessity. For Nigeria to unlock the full potential of its agri-food value chains, logistics must be seen as an integral part of agricultural policy. Stakeholders must now rally to ensure implementation, enforcement, and digital transparency that will build trust and efficiency from farm to market.
