Musa Na Allah, Sokoto
A devastating fire outbreak has dealt a heavy blow to Nigeria’s agrarian economy, destroying thousands of bags of onions in a local Market in Sokoto State, raising fresh alarm over the vulnerability of the nation’s food supply chain.
The inferno, which swept through Duhuwa community in Wurno Local Government Area, in the early hours of Friday consumed an estimated 5,932 bags of onions valued at over N204.12 million, according to data released by the National Onion Producers, Processors and Marketers Association of Nigeria (NOPPMAN).
The scale of the destruction has intensified concerns about persistent post harvest losses and the exposure of agricultural commodities to disasters in major food producing regions.
National President of NOPPMAN, Alhaji Aliyu Isa Maitasamu, disclosed that at least 324 storage facilities were razed in the fire, compounding the losses suffered by farmers and traders.
He explained that each affected storage hip contained about 18 bags of onions, with each bag currently priced at approximately N35,000 in local markets.
Describing the incident as a “catastrophic setback,” Maitasamu warned that recurring losses of this magnitude could disrupt supply chains and trigger price instability across Nigeria and neighboring West African markets reliant on Nigerian produce.
He further revealed that the association is set to engage the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the Sokoto State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) to secure urgent relief and economic support for those affected.
According to him, NOPPMAN will also approach the Sokoto State Ministry of Agriculture to seek immediate intervention measures to cushion the impact on farmers’ livelihoods.
“This is necessary to ease the burden on our members and help them return to production as quickly as possible,” Maitasamu stated.
The disaster comes amid growing worries over climate related threats, inadequate storage infrastructure, and fire hazards that continue to undermine Nigeria’s agricultural sector despite its importance to food security and exports.
Analyst Bashir Guyawa warned that repeated incidents could have ripple effects on inflation, given the central role onions play in household consumption and the food industry nationwide.
The Duhuwa incident according to him follows a similar blaze in Kojiyo village, Goronyo Local Government Area, where 2,275 bags of onions worth about N56.8 million were destroyed weeks earlier.
In a disturbing trend, another fire outbreak struck Dundaye community in Wamakko Local Government Area barely 48 hours after the Kojiyo incident, underscoring the urgent need for improved storage systems, stronger fire prevention measures, and coordinated emergency response strategies to protect Nigeria’s agricultural assets.
