Musa Na Allah, Sokoto
The simmering trade dispute between Nigerian onion exporters and their counterparts in Ghana has escalated, with Nigerian onion producers and marketers declaring an indefinite suspension of onion exports and trading activities to Ghana.
The decision has raised fresh concerns across the onion value chain, with farmers, producers, exporters, transporters, wholesalers and retailers facing the prospect of mounting losses should the dispute persist.
President of the Onion Producers and Marketers Association, Aliyu Mai Tasamu, disclosed the development in Sokoto, saying the suspension would remain in force until the Nigerian and Ghanaian authorities reached an amicable and mutually acceptable agreement on the conduct of onion trade between the two countries.
Tasamu, who spoke to journalists, said the decision followed persistent challenges confronting Nigerian onion farmers, exporters and marketers operating in the Ghanaian market.
“We have suspended onion export and trading activities to Ghana indefinitely until an amicable agreement is reached between Nigeria and Ghana on the onion trade,” he said.
He stressed that the action was not intended to undermine regional commerce but to compel urgent attention to the difficulties confronting Nigerian traders and pave the way for a sustainable resolution.
ECOWAS Urged to Avert Escalating Trade Crisis, Tasamu called on the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to urgently intervene in the dispute and bring Nigeria and Ghana to the negotiating table before the disagreement develops into a broader regional trade crisis.
He urged the regional body to facilitate a transparent and enforceable framework capable of protecting legitimate agricultural traders while preventing unilateral measures from disrupting cross-border commerce.
According to him, the intervention of ECOWAS is critical because Nigeria and Ghana remain major economies within the West African region, while agricultural trade between the two countries provides livelihoods for thousands of people.
He also appealed to the Federal Government and Ghanaian authorities to commence immediate consultations with representatives of onion farmers, producers, exporters and traders to address the contentious issues.
‘Protect Farmers, Traders From Economic Losses’
The onion producers’ leader warned that prolonged restrictions and uncertainty in the Ghanaian market could inflict severe economic consequences on farmers and businesses dependent on cross-border trade.
He said onion production and marketing support a wide network of Nigerians, including farmers, aggregators, truck drivers, wholesalers and retailers, stressing that they should not be made to bear the consequences of a dispute they did not create.
Tasamu called for clear, predictable and mutually agreed rules governing the movement of onions between Nigeria and Ghana, saying adherence to established trade protocols would help prevent a recurrence of the crisis.
He maintained that resolving the dispute would not only restore onion exports but also rebuild confidence in cross-border agricultural commerce and strengthen economic integration across West Africa.
He therefore urged all parties to embrace dialogue and negotiation, stressing that a timely ECOWAS-led intervention could help de-escalate the dispute and protect the interests of traders and consumers on both sides.
Until a satisfactory agreement is reached, Tasamu said, Nigerian onion exporters and marketers would maintain the indefinite suspension of shipments and trading activities involving the Ghanaian market.
