Cross-border onion trade between Nigeria and Ghana has officially resumed after restrictions that disrupted the movement of goods along the trade corridor were lifted.
The reopening comes after weeks of tension that stranded dozens of trucks and halted onion shipments between the two West African nations.
In a notice issued on Tuesday, the Regional Observatory of Onion in West and Central Africa confirmed that all outstanding issues affecting the trade had been resolved following sustained dialogue among authorities and industry stakeholders.
The President of the regional body, Aliyu Maitasamu, announced that normal trading operations would resume immediately.
“All trucks conveying onions between Nigeria and Ghana are authorised to resume movement, and all affected trucks have been released,” he said.
The resumption follows weeks of disruption triggered by a dispute involving onion traders and authorities along the Ghana trade corridor. Nigerian exporters had earlier suspended shipments after raising concerns over harassment, trade bottlenecks, and safety challenges faced by drivers transporting goods across the border.
The standoff significantly affected regional commerce. Industry sources estimate that exporters were losing billions of naira daily due to halted shipments.
Nigeria, one of West Africa’s largest onion producers, relies heavily on neighbouring countries such as Ghana as major export markets. The disruption also affected supply chains beyond Ghana, with ripple effects felt in Côte d’Ivoire and Burkina Faso, which depend on the same trade route.
According to Maitasamu, the breakthrough was achieved through sustained interventions and dialogue between stakeholders in both countries. He said mechanisms have now been put in place to prevent similar disruptions in the future.
“All outstanding issues that previously disrupted trade and posed challenges to the safety and commercial activities of Nigerian and Ghanaian onion traders have been addressed,” he stated.
He also urged traders and transport operators to adhere strictly to existing trade regulations and safety procedures as operations resume across the corridor.
“We encourage all stakeholders to conduct their business in accordance with established trade frameworks while authorities continue to monitor activities to ensure a safe, lawful, and fair trading environment,” he added.
Traders and exporters have welcomed the development, describing it as a major relief after weeks of uncertainty and financial losses.
A Lagos-based exporter said the reopening would help stabilise onion supply and prices across the sub-region.
“This is a big relief for us. The losses were huge, and many trucks were stranded for days. Now we can return to business and gradually recover,” the trader said.
Stakeholders also expressed optimism that renewed cooperation between Nigerian and Ghanaian authorities would strengthen regional trade relations and prevent future disruptions.
With cross-border movement restored, attention is now shifting to rebuilding confidence along the corridor and ensuring that trade between Nigeria and Ghana remains smooth and mutually beneficial.
