The Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, has assured onion farmers and exporters of the Nigeria Customs Service’s commitment to support export trade.
Adeniyi gave the assurance on Monday, during a visit by the Regional Observatory of Onion in West and Central Africa to the Customs House in Abuja.
He pledged to remove non-tariff barriers and address operational bottlenecks affecting onion exports.
The CGC said Customs would collaborate with relevant government agencies to create a more enabling export environment.
He noted that economic operators in Benin and Niger had raised concerns over Nigeria’s transit corridors in recent months.
Adeniyi said the engagement with onion exporters would help strengthen Nigeria’s export profile.
He stressed that exports promote economic growth, job creation, and improved balance of trade.
The CGC disclosed that he directed the Deputy Comptroller-General in charge of Enforcement to establish a structured engagement framework with stakeholders.
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President of ORO/AOC, Aliyu Maitasamu, commended Customs for prompt intervention following recent corridor disruptions.
He called for sustained collaboration to ensure smooth and lasting export operations.
Maitasamu said the association was ready to improve coordination and compliance management across transit routes.
He revealed that Nigeria produces about 2.1 million metric tonnes of onions annually.
He added that Nigeria ranks as Africa’s second-largest onion producer after Egypt.
Maitasamu valued Nigeria’s onion production at about ₦1.17 trillion, citing industry data.
Deputy Comptroller-General Timi Bomodi said the engagement aligns with efforts to balance economic growth and security.
He explained that a proposed token system would manage data and infrastructure use along transit corridors.
Bomodi said the system would help government recover road maintenance costs over time.
