Good news for jollof lovers and market women - the onions are moving again!

In a major relief for West African trade, Nigeria has resumed onion exports to Ghana with immediate effect. As reported by cbinews.tv, the move follows weeks of drama at Accra's Kotoku Market.

So, what actually happened?

The National Onion Producers, Processors and Marketers Association of Nigeria, NOPPMAN, had slammed the brakes on all shipments to Ghana. The reason? Nigerian and Nigerien traders were reportedly being harassed, their truckloads blocked from offloading, and consignments seized at Kotoku - which is basically the ground zero for onions in Ghana.

NOPPMAN President, Aliyu Maitasamu, confirmed the U-turn in a public notice on Wednesday. He said the decision to lift the ban came after “subsequent engagements and consultations with relevant stakeholders” - we are talking Nigeria and Ghana's trade ministries, diplomatic bigwigs, and ECOWAS itself.

“Onion exports from Nigeria to Ghana may resume with immediate effect,” Maitasamu said.

But there are conditions. He has urged Nigerian exporters and drivers to stay peaceful, keep their paperwork clean, and play by the rules - AfCFTA, ECOWAS protocols, phytosanitary certificates, customs, the whole lot. On the other side, NOPPMAN is calling on Ghanaian authorities and market leaders to ensure fair play, safe passage, and uninterrupted offloading for legitimate traders.

“Any disagreement should be addressed through dialogue, consultation and appropriate dispute-resolution mechanisms, rather than through intimidation, obstruction, violence or retaliatory measures,” he added.

Why does this matter so much? Some background

This is not just about onions. It is about a massive industry and regional integration.

Nigeria is a powerhouse. According to NOPPMAN and data from the Food and Agriculture Organisation, Nigeria is Africa's second-largest onion producer after Egypt - third by some other estimates - churning out about 2.1 million metric tonnes annually. The value? The FAO puts it at N945 billion, with more recent valuations hitting N1.17 trillion, about $730m to $780m.

Yet the sector bleeds money. About 40% of the harvest, worth over N300 billion, rots every year due to lack of cold storage and processing plants.

Ghana, meanwhile, is heavily dependent on these imports. Nigeria alone sends about 16 trucks of onions to Ghana every single week, with Niger Republic supplying another 10 trucks. When five trucks were detained last week at Kotoku Market despite ECOWAS free movement rules, ECOWAS had to step in to secure their release.

Historically, this trade is protected by the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme (ETLS) from 1979, which guarantees free movement of unprocessed agricultural goods. The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), operational since 2021, was meant to make things even smoother. When local trader associations block trucks, it puts the credibility of both agreements to the test.

For now, the green light is on. NOPPMAN says this is to support a “permanent and mutually acceptable framework” that protects everyone from the farmer in Sokoto and Kebbi - where Sokoto alone produces 800,000 metric tonnes - to the consumer in Accra.

The onions are back on the road. Let's hope they stay there.

Source: NOPPMAN public notice, as reported by cbinews.tv

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