Championing local production with Tomato Jos
Tomato Jos is using locally grown tomatoes to produce one of the most important ingredients in Nigerian cooking: tomato paste. The company is now expanding their product range and aims to secure at least 10% market share while improving the lives of local smallholders.
Building stronger communities with tomatoes
Despite being one of the largest producers of tomatoes in West Africa, Nigeria is still the world’s largest importer of tomato paste. Tomato Jos is working to change that, using the power of Nigerian agriculture to grow local produce and turn it into high-quality products for local consumption. They aim to demonstrate that agricultural excellence can support the creation of a rural middle class in Nigeria.
Why Goodwell invested
Tomato Jos is addressing the rising demand for nutritious food while enhancing the livelihoods of smallholder farmers in Nigeria. The company provides farmers with training, inputs, and a reliable market, and processes the resulting crops into high-quality products. This approach not only ensures a reliable supply of essential food products, but also fosters economic growth in the regions it serves.
Recent achievements and future ambitions
Despite various pest outbreaks across Nigeria in 2025, Tomato Jos’ introduction of pest-resistant varieties helped partner farmers sustain yields of approximately 41 MT/ha, compared with the national average of ~5 MT/ha. They also remained strong in gender-inclusive employment, with women representing nearly 70% of their employees.
Demonstrating their increased focus on sustainability, the company invested significantly in water recycling infrastructure, achieving a 99% recycling rate. They continued using tomato waste as fertiliser and animal feed. And at a new processing facility in Kaduna, they are planning to replace some diesel-powered farm and factory operations by deploying 1.3 MW of solar energy capabilities.
How Tomato Jos is reducing import dependence in Nigeria
“Tomato Jos is localizing the supply chain through working with thousands of smallholders farmers in northern Nigeria.
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