by George Ozalla
The Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, has assured onion farmers and export stakeholders of the Nigeria Customs Service’s commitment to dismantling non-tariff barriers, address operational bottlenecks and collaborate with relevant agencies to create a more enabling export environment.
Adeniyi gave the assurance on Monday, 9 February 2026, when he received members of the Regional Observatory of Onion in West and Central Africa, ORO/AOC, led by its President, Aliyu Maitasamu, during a courtesy visit to the Customs House in Maitama, Abuja.
The Customs boss said the Service would stand firmly behind onion farmers and other export-oriented operators, stressing that efforts were underway to remove identified obstacles and strengthen cooperation with other government institutions to facilitate smoother trade flows.
He noted that the meeting was timely, revealing that over the past six months, the Service had come under sustained pressure from economic operators in Benin and the Niger Republic over the use of Nigeria’s transit corridors, particularly routes through the North-East and the Kamba axis.
According to him, while conversations around transit corridors often revolve around imports, engagement with onion exporters provides an opportunity to expand Nigeria’s export narrative and deepen economic gains.
He said exports stimulate economic prosperity, create jobs, support a favourable balance of trade and contribute to national output growth, adding that regulatory agencies have a duty not only to enforce compliance but also to address legitimate concerns raised by stakeholders.
Adeniyi 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 framework for sustained engagement with the onion value chain.
In his remarks, President of ORO/AOC, Aliyu Maitasamu, commended the Nigeria Customs Service for what he described as a prompt intervention after recent disruptions along the export corridor. He appreciated the Service for its action following the reopening of the affected routes and called for continuous dialogue to ensure stable and predictable operations.
Maitasamu acknowledged the complexities involved in regulating cross-border trade and affirmed the association’s readiness to collaborate closely with Customs. He proposed enhanced coordination mechanisms for onion transit, noting that ORO/AOC possesses the infrastructure, expertise and regional reach to support documentation processes and compliance management across the corridor.
Highlighting the economic value of the sector, he disclosed that Nigeria ranks as Africa’s second-largest onion producer after Egypt, with an annual production capacity of about 2.1 million metric tonnes. He added that figures from the Food and Agriculture Organisation put the value of Nigeria’s onion production at approximately ₦1.17 trillion, while countries such as the Niger Republic, Algeria, Sudan, Burkina Faso and Cameroon play complementary roles in the regional value chain.
He further stated that Nigeria and the Niger Republic remain the two most significant players in onion production and exchange within the ECOWAS and Sahel regions.
Also speaking, the Deputy Comptroller-General of Customs in charge of Enforcement, Inspection and Investigation, Timi Bomodi, said the engagement aligns with broader government efforts to balance economic growth with security considerations.
Bomodi explained that discussions at the meeting included a proposed token system built around data management and infrastructure sustainability. He said while the association already maintains relevant data, government infrastructure, particularly road networks used by heavy-duty trucks, faces mounting pressure. The token system, he noted, would enable cost recovery over time to support maintenance and improve corridor efficiency.
The Nigeria Customs Service has in recent years intensified stakeholder engagements as part of its strategy to boost non-oil exports and strengthen Nigeria’s position within regional trade corridors.
