Customs Assures Onion Farmers, Exporters of Support

Abuja, 9 February 2026

…As Stakeholders Seek Smoother Export Corridor
The Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Adewale Adeniyi, has assured onion farmers and export-oriented stakeholders of the Nigeria Customs Service’s (NCS) commitment to eliminating non-tariff barriers, addressing operational bottlenecks, and collaborating with relevant agencies to foster an enabling environment for export trade.

CGC Adeniyi gave the assurance on Monday, 9 February 2026, during a courtesy visit by the Regional Observatory of Onion in West and Central Africa (ORO/AOC), led by its President, Aliyu Maitasamu, to the Customs House in Maitama, Abuja.

“So let me assure onion farmers and other export-oriented stakeholders that the NCS will stand solidly behind you. We will remove all known non-tariff barriers and work with other government agencies and stakeholders to create a more facilitating environment for your trade,” the Comptroller-General stated.
He described the engagement as timely, noting that over the past six months, the Service had faced sustained pressure from economic operators in Benin and the Niger Republic over Nigeria’s transit corridors, particularly routes through northeastern Nigeria and the Kamba axis.

“While discussions on transit corridors often focus on imports, the engagement with onion exporters presents an opportunity to strengthen Nigeria’s export narrative and unlock broader economic benefits,” CGC Adeniyi added.

He highlighted that exports contribute to economic prosperity, create employment, support a favorable balance of trade, and ultimately boost GDP growth. He further disclosed that, following earlier representations by the association, he had directed the Deputy Comptroller-General in charge of Enforcement, Inspection, and Investigation to establish a structured engagement framework with stakeholders.

On his part, ORO/AOC President Maitasamu commended the NCS for what he described as a prompt and decisive response to recent disruptions along the corridor.
“With recent developments and the reopening now in effect, we are here to appreciate the NCS for its prompt action,” he said, while calling for sustained engagement to ensure smooth and lasting operations, in line with assurances previously given by the Comptroller-General in Kebbi State.

Maitasamu acknowledged the complexities of regulating cross-border trade and affirmed the association’s readiness to collaborate with Customs, proposing improved coordination mechanisms for onion transit. He noted that ORO/AOC possesses the infrastructure, expertise, and regional presence to support Customs operations, including documentation and compliance management across the corridor.

Highlighting the sector’s economic significance, he disclosed that Nigeria is Africa’s second-largest onion producer after Egypt, with an annual output of about 2.1 million metric tonnes. He added that data from the Food and Agriculture Organisation values Nigeria’s onion production at approximately ₦1.17 trillion, with the Niger Republic and countries such as Algeria, Sudan, Burkina Faso, and Cameroon playing complementary roles in the regional onion value chain.
He emphasised that Nigeria and the Niger Republic currently remain the two most significant players in onion production and trade within the ECOWAS and Sahel regions.

Earlier, the Deputy Comptroller-General of Customs in charge of Enforcement, Inspection, and Investigation, Timi Bomodi, described the engagement as aligned with government efforts to balance economic growth with security considerations. He explained that the proposed token system discussed at the meeting has two core elements — data and infrastructure — aimed at streamlining transit operations.