NOPPMAN Calls for ECOWAS Action on Ghana Onion Blockade

The National Onion Producers, Processors and Marketers Association of Nigeria (NOPPMAN), led by National President Alhaji Aliyu Isah Maitasamu, has urged ECOWAS to intervene in the blockade of Nigerian and Nigerien onion trucks at Kotoku Market in Ghana. During a press conference in Sokoto, Maitasamu highlighted that the ongoing restrictions are causing substantial financial losses to exporters and transporters while risking the deterioration of perishable onions.

Despite previous efforts by the Nigerian and Ghanaian governments to resolve the issue, the blockade persists. NOPPMAN expressed appreciation for the diplomatic efforts made but emphasized that the unilateral restrictions imposed by market actors are detrimental to legitimate cross-border trade.

The association proposed the creation of a formal Memorandum of Agreement for cross-border onion trade, guided by the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme and AfCFTA, to establish clear rules on market access and dispute resolution. The blockade has reportedly resulted in estimated losses of N1 billion to Nigerian traders.