The Nigeria Customs Service has assured onion farmers and export-focused stakeholders of its commitment to removing non-tariff barriers to boost the onion sector valued at N1.17tn.
The Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, gave the assurance during a courtesy visit by the Regional Observatory of Onion in West and Central Africa, led by its President, Aliyu Maitasamu, in Abuja, according to a statement issued on Wednesday.
Adeniyi said the service would tackle operational bottlenecks and collaborate with relevant government agencies to create a more enabling environment for export trade.
“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,” he said.
He described the engagement as timely, noting that in the past six months, the service had faced sustained pressure from economic operators in Benin Republic and the Niger Republic over the use of Nigeria’s transit corridors, particularly routes through the North-East and the Kamba axis.
Adeniyi explained that while discussions around transit corridors often focus on imports, engagement with onion exporters presents an opportunity to strengthen Nigeria’s export narrative.
“What you are doing will help us balance the story. We will not only be talking about imports and transit, but also about exports. Exports bring economic prosperity, create employment, support a favourable balance of trade, and ultimately contribute to GDP growth,” he said.
He added that regulatory agencies have a responsibility not only to enforce compliance but also to address legitimate concerns raised by stakeholders.
The CGC disclosed that, following earlier representations by the association, he directed the Deputy Comptroller-General in charge of Enforcement, Inspection and Investigation to establish a structured engagement framework.
Onion farming remains a major agricultural activity in Nigeria, particularly in the northern region. Nigeria is regarded as Africa’s second-largest onion producer after Egypt, with an annual output of about 2.1 million metric tonnes.
Earlier, Maitasamu commended the Customs Service for what he described as a prompt intervention following recent disruptions along the transit corridor.
Citing data from the Food and Agriculture Organisation, he said Nigeria’s onion production is valued at approximately N1.17tn, with the Niger Republic and countries such as Algeria, Sudan, Burkina Faso, and Cameroon playing complementary roles in the regional onion value chain.
He noted that Nigeria and the Niger Republic remain the most significant players in onion production and exchange within the ECOWAS and Sahel regions.
Maitasamu called for sustained engagement with the service to ensure smooth operations and affirmed the association’s readiness to work closely with Customs through improved coordination and compliance mechanisms.
He added that the association possesses the infrastructure, expertise, and regional presence to support Customs operations, including documentation and compliance management across transit corridors.
Also speaking, the Deputy Comptroller-General of Customs in charge of Enforcement, Inspection and Investigation, Timi Bomodi, said the engagement aligns with government efforts to balance economic growth and security considerations.
He explained that the proposed token system discussed at the meeting has two core components: data and infrastructure.
“One component is the data, which your association already has. The other is infrastructure. Trucks moving across these corridors put pressure on our roads, and the token system will allow the government to recover some of those costs over time for road maintenance,” Bomodi said.
