Customs pledges support for onion farmers, exporters

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has pledged its support for onion farmers and exporters in the country.  This commitment is aimed at boosting the nation’s onion export trade and enhancing the competitiveness of local farmers in the global market. The onion industry is a significant contributor to Nigeria’s economy, with the country producing over 1.4 […]

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has pledged its support for onion farmers and exporters in the country. 

This commitment is aimed at boosting the nation’s onion export trade and enhancing the competitiveness of local farmers in the global market.

The onion industry is a significant contributor to Nigeria’s economy, with the country producing over 1.4 million metric tons of onions annually, valued at over N1.17 trillion.

However, exporters have faced numerous challenges, including logistics issues, poor infrastructure, and cumbersome regulatory processes.

The Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Adewale Adeniyi, gave the assurance during a courtesy visit by the Regional Observatory of Onion in West and Central Africa (ORO/AOC), led by its President, Aliyu Maitasamu, to the Customs House, Maitama, Abuja.

Speaking during the visit, the CGC assured the onion farmers and export-focused stakeholders of the commitment of the NCS to remove non-tariff barriers, adding that the Service would also address all operational bottlenecks impeding export of onion.

He assured the group of the readiness of the Service to work with relevant agencies to create an enabling environment for export trade.

“So let me assure onion farmers and other export-oriented stakeholders that the NCS will stand solidly behind you. We will remove all known non-tariff barriers and work with other government agencies and stakeholders to create a more facilitating environment for your trade,” the Comptroller-General said.

He explained that the engagement was timely, noting that over the past six months, the Service had faced sustained pressure from economic operators in Benin and the Niger Republic over the use of Nigeria’s transit corridors, particularly routes through northeastern Nigeria and the Kamba axis.