By Agrobroadcast Team
Nigeria’s drive to expand non-oil exports received a boost as the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) signalled stronger backing for onion producers and exporters seeking greater access to international markets.
The Service said its renewed commitment is designed to strengthen Nigeria’s onion export value chain and position local farmers to compete more effectively in the global marketplace.
With an annual output estimated at over 1.4 million metric tonnes and a market value exceeding N1.17 trillion, onion production remains a major pillar of Nigeria’s agricultural economy.
Despite this potential, exporters continue to grapple with persistent obstacles such as transportation bottlenecks, inadequate infrastructure, and complex regulatory procedures that have constrained growth.
The Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, made the pledge while receiving a delegation from the Regional Observatory of Onion in West and Central Africa (ORO/AOC), led by its President, Aliyu Maitasamu, at the Customs House in Maitama, Abuja.
During the meeting, Adeniyi reaffirmed the agency’s determination to dismantle non-tariff barriers and tackle operational challenges that hinder onion exports.
He emphasised that the Customs Service would collaborate with relevant government bodies to streamline processes and foster a more export-friendly environment.
He assured stakeholders that the NCS would provide institutional support to facilitate smoother trade operations and ensure that export procedures are more efficient and predictable.
The Customs chief described the engagement as timely, noting that in the last six months the Service had experienced mounting pressure from economic operators in neighbouring Benin Republic and Niger Republic over the utilisation of Nigeria’s transit corridors, particularly routes in the North-East and along the Kamba axis.