Tomatoes are widely produced and consumed in West Africa, but much of the trade occurs through informal channels, leaving regional market dynamics largely underestimated.

Burkina Faso suspended its fresh tomato exports on Monday, in a move authorities say is aimed at securing domestic supply and supporting the processing industry. The decision, however, could have repercussions beyond the country’s borders.

A 2025 report by the OECD’s Sahel and West Africa Club (SWAC) highlights the scale and complexity of intra-regional tomato trade, much of which remains underestimated in official data.

An Underestimated Sub-Regional Market

Titled “Intra-Regional Food Trade in West Africa,” the report examines tomato flows across the region and points to a wide gap between official figures and actual volumes. Much of the trade takes place through informal channels that bypass border controls.

“Recorded trade statistics show that Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire and Niger are the only West African countries importing fresh tomatoes from the region, for a combined annual value of USD  30  million (Figure  1.22). However, when unrecorded trade data is factored in, the regional tomato market structure changes dramatically. The total market size nearly quadruples, to USD  111  million annually (Figure  1.23). The combined regional import share for Ghana, Niger and Côte d’Ivoire drops to 44%, while “new” importers like Nigeria (32%) and Burkina Faso appear (13%),” SWAC said.

Main intra-regional tomato importers in West Africa

Based on both official and unrecorded data, the report outlines a revised ranking of the region’s main tomato importers. Ghana remains the largest market, with average annual imports valued at $40 million between 2014 and 2022.

It is followed by Nigeria ($37 million), Burkina Faso ($15 million) and Côte d’Ivoire ($6 million). Benin and Niger are joint fifth, each averaging $4 million in annual imports over the period.

SWAC notes that even combined recorded and unrecorded data still underestimate actual trade flows. Ghana illustrates the gap. While available data put its tomato imports at around 1,700 tonnes in 2022, estimates from the National Tomato Traders and Transporters Association suggest volumes closer to 100,000 tonnes.

“This would imply that, in 2022, Ghana’s tomato import market alone would amount to USD 196 million, six times more than the total intra‑regional tomato import value for the region presented in recorded statistics and three times more than the value adjusted with  ECO‑ICBT data,” SWAC said.

This gap underscores how statistical bias distorts the understanding of regional agricultural markets.

Trade Links Hard to Identify

The data limitations extend beyond market size to the identification of key trading partners, raising the risk of misguided policies and missed opportunities for businesses.

Burkina Faso illustrates the issue. “Official statistics suggest that Burkina Faso’s primary regional food export markets are Ghana, Mali and Togo. However, when unrecorded trade data is considered, Nigeria emerges as Burkina Faso’s main export partner by a significant margin, with trade values six times higher than exports to Ghana. Benin and Côte d’Ivoire also move up from the 5th and 6th positions to the 3rd and 4th, respectively.”

Leading importers of Burkinabè tomatoes in West Africa

In this context, national decisions such as the export suspension announced by Ouagadougou on March 16 could have a much broader impact on neighbouring markets, given the scale of informal trade.

Where a large share of trade occurs outside formal channels, supply disruptions in one country can quickly ripple across the region, affecting both prices and availability. More broadly, underestimating trade flows limits policymakers’ ability to design policies aligned with actual market dynamics, even as tomatoes remain a strategic product for food security and agro-industrial development in West Africa.

Stéphanas Assocle