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Nigeria-Ghana onion trade dispute and Sokoto pact

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2026-08-13 23:42 UTC → 2026-09-04 07:33 UTC · added ~~removed~~

A trade dispute emerged between Nigeria and Ghana following the detention of several Nigerian onion trucks at Kotoku Market in Ghana. The Regional Observatory of Onion in West and Central Africa (ORO) reported that Ghanaian traders allegedly prevented the off-loading of consignments, leading to warnings regarding the deterioration of perishable produce and significant financial losses for Nigerian stakeholders. In response, the National Onion Producers and Marketers Association of Nigeria (NOPMAN) suspended all onion exports to Ghana. NOPMAN President Alhaji Aliyu Maitasamu stated the suspension was a measure to draw authority attention after existing resolution channels were exhausted. He emphasized that the halt was intended to highlight trader difficulties rather than undermine regional trade, noting that the suspension would remain until a mutually acceptable agreement regarding trade modalities is reached. To resolve the impasse, stakeholders in the West African onion industry signed a Memorandum of Agreement in Sokoto. Facilitated by the Regional Observatory of the Onion Sector in West and Central Africa, the pact aims to stabilize cross-border trade by establishing clear rules for produce movement and improving market access. The agreement follows disruptions that included stranded trucks and financial losses, which Maitasamu noted violated regional frameworks such as the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme and the African Continental Free Trade Area. Following diplomatic intervention by officials from both nations, Nigeria has since resumed onion exports to Ghana. The industry, which sees approximately 100,000 tonnes of onions exported from Nigeria to Ghana annually, is valued at roughly N945 billion (US$620 million). Despite the resumption, the dispute has highlighted persistent non-tariff barriers within ECOWAS, including delays and documentation issues. Industry leaders are now calling for permanent bilateral frameworks to manage market access and safety standards to ensure predictable border procedures under the AfCFTA.

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