Customs Pledges Support for Onion Exporters as Sector Seeks Smoother Trade Routes

By Zainab Uzomah|Abuja

The Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, has pledged stronger support for onion farmers and exporters, saying the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) is committed to addressing non-tariff barriers and easing operational challenges along major trade corridors.

He gave the assurance on Monday during a visit by the Regional Observatory of Onion in West and Central Africa (ORO/AOC), led by its president, Aliyu Maitasamu, at the Customs Headquarters in Abuja.

Adeniyi said the engagement was timely, noting rising pressure in recent months from economic operators in Benin and the Niger Republic over the use of Nigeria’s transit routes, particularly those through the northeast and the Kamba axis. He said the meeting offered an opportunity to shift attention from import-focused corridor discussions to strengthening Nigeria’s export performance.

“Exports bring economic prosperity, create employment, support a favourable balance of trade and ultimately contribute to GDP growth,” he said, adding that Customs would continue working with other agencies to create a more “facilitating environment” for trade.

The Customs chief said he had already directed the Deputy Comptroller-General in charge of Enforcement, Inspection and Investigation to establish a structured mechanism for continued engagement with exporters.

Maitasamu welcomed what he described as Customs’ swift intervention following recent disruptions along the onion transit corridor. He called for sustained coordination to ensure uninterrupted operations and reaffirmed ORO/AOC’s readiness to support Customs with documentation, compliance and cross-border management.

He noted that Nigeria is Africa’s second-largest onion producer after Egypt, generating around 2.1 million metric tonnes annually — output valued at roughly ₦1.17 trillion, according to FAO data. He said Nigeria and the Niger Republic remain central to onion production and regional exchange across ECOWAS and the Sahel.

Earlier, Deputy Comptroller-General Timi Bomodi said the discussion aligned with federal efforts to balance economic growth with security considerations. He highlighted the proposed token system for transit operations, which he said rests on two pillars — data and 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,” he said.