Pauline Onyibe 
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has pledged to dismantle non-tariff barriers and address operational bottlenecks constraining Nigeria’s onion trade, in a move aimed at strengthening an industry valued at over ₦1.17 trillion and reinforcing the country’s export drive.
The Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Adewale Adeniyi, gave this assurance on Monday, February 9, 2026, during a courtesy visit by the Regional Observatory of Onion in West and Central Africa (ORO/AOC), led by its President, Aliyu Maitasamu, at the Customs House in Maitama, Abuja.
Adeniyi said the Service would work with relevant government agencies to create a more enabling environment for export-oriented businesses within the agricultural value chain, particularly onion producers and exporters.
“Let me assure onion farmers and other export-focused stakeholders that the NCS will stand solidly behind you. We will remove all known non-tariff barriers and collaborate with relevant agencies to facilitate your trade,” he said.
The CGC described the engagement as timely, noting that the Service had in the past six months faced sustained pressure from economic operators in the Benin Republic and the Niger Republic over the use of Nigeria’s transit corridors, especially routes through the North-East and the Kamba axis.
He observed that discussions around transit corridors have largely focused on imports, stressing that renewed engagement with onion exporters presents an opportunity to rebalance the trade narrative in favour of exports.
“What you are doing helps us balance the story. We should not only be talking about imports and transit; exports drive economic prosperity, create jobs, improve the balance of trade and contribute significantly to GDP growth,” Adeniyi stated.
Beyond enforcement, he emphasised that regulatory agencies must also respond to legitimate concerns raised by stakeholders. He disclosed that following earlier representations by the association, he directed the Deputy Comptroller-General (DCG) in charge of Enforcement, Inspection and Investigation to establish a structured framework for sustained engagement with the sector.
In his remarks, ORO/AOC President Aliyu Maitasamu commended the Customs Service for what he described as swift intervention following recent disruptions along the transit corridor.
“With recent developments and the reopening now in effect, we are here to appreciate the NCS for its prompt action,” Maitasamu said, urging sustained collaboration to ensure seamless and durable operations in line with assurances previously given by the CGC in Kebbi State.
Acknowledging the complexities of cross-border trade regulation, Maitasamu affirmed the association’s readiness to deepen cooperation with Customs. He proposed improved coordination mechanisms for onion transit, noting that ORO/AOC possesses the infrastructure, technical expertise and regional presence to support Customs operations, particularly in documentation and compliance management along the corridor.
Highlighting the economic weight of the sector, he disclosed that Nigeria ranks as Africa’s second-largest onion producer after Egypt, with an annual output of about 2.1 million metric tonnes.
According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) data, the country’s onion production is valued at approximately ₦1.17 trillion.
He added that while the Niger Republic, Algeria, Sudan, Burkina Faso and Cameroon play complementary roles in the regional onion value chain, Nigeria and Niger remain the dominant players in production and exchange across the ECOWAS and Sahel regions.
Also speaking, DCG Timi Bomodi, who oversees Enforcement, Inspection and Investigation, said the engagement aligns with the Federal Government’s broader objective of balancing economic growth with security imperatives.
Bomodi explained that a proposed token system discussed at the meeting would rest on two pillars — data and infrastructure.
“One component is data, which your association already possesses. The other is infrastructure. Trucks moving across these corridors place significant pressure on our roads, and the token system will enable the government to gradually recover some of those costs for road maintenance,” he said.
The renewed collaboration signals a strategic shift toward strengthening Nigeria’s agricultural export corridors, positioning the onion trade as a key driver of regional commerce and economic growth.
