The Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, has pledged the Nigeria Customs Service’s full backing for onion farmers and export-focused businesses, promising to dismantle non-tariff barriers and tackle operational bottlenecks hampering trade.
He gave the assurance on Monday while receiving a delegation from the Regional Observatory of Onion in West and Central Africa, led by its President, Aliyu Maitasamu, at the Customs House in Maitama, Abuja.
Adeniyi said the service would stand firmly behind onion exporters and other stakeholders, working with relevant government agencies to create a more enabling and efficient trading environment.
He noted that the engagement was particularly timely, as the service had in recent months faced mounting pressure from economic operators in Benin and the Niger Republic over access to Nigeria’s transit corridors, especially routes through the North-East and the Kamba axis.
While discussions around transit corridors often centre on imports, the Comptroller-General observed that supporting onion exports offers an opportunity to rebalance the narrative and unlock wider economic gains. Exports, he stressed, drive prosperity, generate employment, strengthen the balance of trade and contribute directly to GDP growth.
He added that regulatory agencies must go beyond demanding compliance and also respond to legitimate stakeholder concerns.
Following earlier representations by the association, he directed the Deputy Comptroller-General in charge of Enforcement, Inspection and Investigation to establish a structured framework for continued engagement.
Maitasamu commended Customs for what he described as swift and decisive action following recent disruptions along the corridor, particularly in light of its reopening. He called for sustained dialogue to ensure seamless and durable operations, consistent with assurances previously given by the Comptroller-General in Kebbi State.
Acknowledging the complexities of cross-border trade regulation, Maitasamu expressed the association’s readiness to collaborate closely with Customs, proposing improved coordination for onion transit.
He highlighted the sector’s economic weight, noting that Nigeria is Africa’s second-largest onion producer after Egypt, with annual output estimated at 2.1 million metric tonnes.
According to Food and Agriculture Organisation data, the country’s onion production is valued at approximately ₦1.17 trillion.
He added that the Niger Republic and countries such as Algeria, Sudan, Burkina Faso and Cameroon play complementary roles in the regional value chain, with Nigeria and Niger remaining the dominant players within ECOWAS and the wider Sahel.