The Onion Producers, Processors and Marketers Association of Nigeria (NOPPMAN) announced that Nigeria has exported onions worth N107.9 billion from April to September. This disclosure was made by Alhaji Aliyu Isa Maitasamu, the national president of NOPPMAN, at the 6th International Conference on Onion in Sokoto. The event focused on the onion sector's development amidst the African Continental Free Trade Area and the Pan African Payment Settlement System.
Maitasamu addressed the contributions of the onion industry to the national GDP and the challenges it faces, including fragmented markets and high transportation costs. He indicated that the AfCFTA and PAPSS could provide significant opportunities for the sector by removing trade barriers and facilitating easier cross-border transactions.
He urged African governments to work together to streamline trade policies for the onion industry, highlighting the potential benefits of these policies in enhancing the sector's competitiveness. The Minister of State for Agriculture and the Governor of Sokoto State also expressed their support for the onion production and processing industry, with Sokoto State being a major contributor to Nigeria's onion market.
Source: Daily Trust