The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting onion farmers and export-focused stakeholders by removing non-tariff barriers and addressing operational bottlenecks along key trade corridors.
The Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Adewale Adeniyi, gave the assurance on Monday, 9 February 2026, during a courtesy visit by the Regional Observatory of Onion in West and Central Africa (ORO/AOC), led by its President, Aliyu Maitasamu, at the Customs House, Maitama, Abuja.
Assuring stakeholders of the Service’s backing, CGC Adeniyi said Customs would collaborate with relevant government agencies to create a more 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,” he stated.
The CGC described the engagement as timely, revealing that in 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 the North-East and the Kamba axis.
He noted that discussions around transit corridors often focus largely on imports, but engagement with onion exporters presents an opportunity to strengthen Nigeria’s export profile and unlock broader economic benefits.
“What you are doing will help us balance the story. We will not only be talking about imports and transit, but also about exports. Exports bring economic prosperity, create employment, support a favourable balance of trade and ultimately contribute to GDP growth,” Adeniyi said.
Beyond compliance enforcement, the CGC emphasised that regulatory agencies also have a responsibility to address legitimate concerns raised by stakeholders. He 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 engagement framework.
In his remarks, ORO/AOC President, Aliyu Maitasamu, commended the NCS for what he described as prompt and decisive intervention following recent disruptions along the corridor.
“With recent developments and the reopening now in effect, we are here to appreciate the NCS for its prompt action,” he said, calling for sustained dialogue to ensure smooth and lasting operations, in line with earlier assurances given by the CGC in Kebbi State.
Maitasamu acknowledged the complexities of cross-border trade regulation and affirmed the association’s readiness to collaborate closely with Customs. He proposed improved coordination mechanisms for onion transit, noting that ORO/AOC possesses the infrastructure, expertise and regional presence to support Customs operations, particularly in documentation and compliance management across the corridor.
Highlighting the sector’s economic importance, he disclosed that Nigeria is Africa’s second-largest onion producer after Egypt, with an annual output of about 2.1 million metric tonnes. According to him, data from the Food and Agriculture Organisation values Nigeria’s onion production 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 onion value chain, stressing that Nigeria and Niger remain the two most significant players in onion production and exchange within the ECOWAS and Sahel regions.
Earlier, the Deputy Comptroller-General of Customs in charge of Enforcement, Inspection and Investigation, Timi Bomodi, described the engagement as consistent with government efforts to balance economic growth with security considerations.
He explained that the proposed token system discussed at the meeting has two key components data and infrastructure.
“One component is the data, which your association already has. The other is 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 for road maintenance,” DCG Bomodi said.
