Nigerian onion marketers have suspended the export of onions to Ghana following unresolved disputes affecting their members.
In a joint statement issued by leaders of onion marketers’ associations in Sokoto, the group said the decision was prompted by repeated incidents targeting Nigerian traders, particularly at Kotoku Market, a major trading hub in the Ghanaian capital.
According to the traders, tensions escalated after a dispute between Nigerian and Ghanaian merchants allegedly resulted in the confiscation of trucks transporting onions belonging to Nigerian exporters.
The development poses a threat to a significant segment of agricultural trade within the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) region and has raised concerns over the safety of Nigerian traders as well as the stability of cross-border commerce between the two countries.
The statement added that the suspension will remain in effect until all outstanding issues are resolved and a safe, fair, and lawful trading environment is restored.
The marketers also called on relevant authorities in both Nigeria and Ghana, along with regional bodies, to urgently investigate the reported incidents, including the alleged seizure of Nigerian onion trucks, to prevent future disputes.