Nigeria exported N107.9bn onions in 5 months – Producers

The Onion Producers, Processors and Marketers Association of Nigeria (NOPPMAN) on Tuesday said Nigeria has exported onions valued at N107.9 billion between April and September this year.

The national president of the association, Alhaji Aliyu Isa Maitasamu, disclosed this during the 6th International Conference on Onion, held in Sokoto, with the theme, ‘Onion Sector in the Era of the African Continental Free Trade Area and the Pan African Payment Settlement System’.

Maitasamu highlighted the significant contributions of the onion sector to Nigeria’s GDP but also acknowledged the numerous challenges the industry faces.

The challenges, he said, include fragmented markets, inefficient supply chains, high transportation costs, and limited access to finance, which hinder the sector’s ability to compete globally.

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He pointed out that African onion producers have long struggled with trade barriers such as tariffs, non-tariff obstacles, and logistical bottlenecks.

Maitasamu, however, emphasised that the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and the Pan African Payment Settlement System (PAPSS) offer transformative opportunities.

“These are not just policies; they are tools designed to break down barriers and foster a more integrated, competitive and resilient onion industry across Africa,” he explained.

The implementation of these policies would simplify and speed up cross-border payments by allowing traders to conduct transactions using local currencies, reducing reliance on costly foreign exchange and improving liquidity, he added.

Maitasamu called on African governments to collaborate in harmonising trade policies and regulations that impact the onion sector to ensure all countries can fully participate in the AfCFTA without unnecessary bureaucratic delays.

The Minister of State for Agriculture, Dr Aliyu Abdullah, affirmed the federal government’s commitment to supporting onion production and processing across Nigeria.

Governor Ahmed Aliyu of Sokoto State noted that Sokoto State, the leading onion producer in Nigeria, accounts for 40% of the onions consumed in the country.