Customs Pledges Robust Backing for Onion Exporters, Moves to Ease Trade Bottlenecks

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting onion farmers and exporters, pledging to dismantle non-tariff barriers and streamline processes along key export corridors.

The Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Adewale Adeniyi, gave the assurance on Monday during a courtesy visit by the Regional Observatory of Onion in West and Central Africa (ORO/AOC) at the Customs House in Maitama, Abuja.

Addressing the delegation led by ORO/AOC President, Aliyu Maitasamu, Adeniyi said the Service would stand firmly behind export-oriented stakeholders seeking to expand Nigeria’s footprint in regional agricultural trade.

He stressed that Customs would work collaboratively with other government agencies to remove operational bottlenecks and foster a more business-friendly environment for exporters.

According to the CGC, the meeting was timely, coming amid growing interest from neighbouring countries in Nigeria’s transit corridors, particularly routes passing through the North-East and the Kamba axis.

He noted that in recent months, the Service had faced sustained pressure from economic operators in Benin and the Niger Republic regarding access to these strategic trade routes.

Adeniyi observed that national conversations around transit corridors often revolve around imports, adding that strengthening exports would help rebalance Nigeria’s trade narrative.

He explained that boosting exports, especially agricultural commodities such as onions, would enhance economic prosperity, generate employment, improve the balance of trade and contribute significantly to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth.

The CGC also revealed that following earlier representations from the association, he directed the Deputy Comptroller-General in charge of Enforcement, Inspection and Investigation to establish a structured framework for continuous engagement with stakeholders.

In his remarks, Maitasamu commended the NCS for its swift response to recent disruptions along the export corridor, describing the intervention as both prompt and decisive.

He said the reopening of the corridor had restored confidence among farmers and exporters, while urging sustained collaboration to ensure lasting operational stability.
Maitasamu acknowledged the complexities surrounding cross-border trade regulation and pledged the association’s readiness to support Customs through improved coordination, documentation and compliance management.

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 estimated at 2.1 million metric tonnes.

He added that the Food and Agriculture Organisation values Nigeria’s onion production at approximately ₦1.17 trillion, noting that the Niger Republic and other countries, including Algeria, Sudan, Burkina Faso and Cameroon, play complementary roles in the regional value chain.

Also speaking, the Deputy Comptroller-General in charge of Enforcement, Inspection and Investigation, Timi Bomodi, said the engagement aligns with government efforts to balance economic growth with security imperatives, explaining that a proposed token system anchored on data and infrastructure would help manage corridor traffic and support road maintenance over time.