Nigeria, West Africa Sign Onion Trade Agreement in Sokoto

On Thursday, stakeholders from Nigeria's onion industry and their West African counterparts signed a Memorandum of Agreement in Sokoto, aimed at strengthening cross-border onion trade, improving market access, and resolving disputes among traders. This agreement was facilitated by the Regional Observatory of the Onion Sector in West and Central Africa.

The initiative responds to ongoing disagreements between onion traders and market authorities, which have disrupted trade and created price uncertainties. Alhaji Aliyu Isa, President of the National Onion Producers, Processors and Marketers Association of Nigeria, stated that the agreement seeks to prevent conflicts and establish a clear framework for transactions among producers, exporters, importers, and market operators.

He emphasized the importance of collaboration among African countries to avoid trade disputes and highlighted the need for a mechanism to resolve conflicts. The agreement also addresses recent disputes involving Nigerian traders and markets in Ghana, with current suspensions of onion exports remaining until the new framework is implemented.