Onion price surge hits households

By Vincent A. Yusuf, Salamatu Muhammed (Abuja), Ahmad Datti (Kano), Magaji lsa Hunkuyi (Jalingo) & Ibrahim Musa Giginyu (Katsina)

The sharp rise in the price of onions has significantly limited the ability of many families to buy the commodity in reasonable quantities for consumption.

Weekend Trust reports that the situation has become a source of concern for households, restaurants, food vendors and traders. What was once considered as one of the cheapest and most readily available condiments in Nigerian kitchens is now attracting unusual attention in the markets as consumers struggle to cope with its rising cost.

Earlier in the year, onions were available at a relatively affordable price – N25,000 per bag, but in recent times, it has risen to over N200,000 in cities like Jos, Kano and other states, significantly limiting access.

Since last month (October), the average cost of a kilogram of onion bulbs in Nigeria has surged to N3,100, according to data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). This increase followed an earlier trend where the average price rose to N1,180.01 per kilogram in May 2026.

Nigeria’s local demand for onions reaches 2.4 million metric tonnes annually. However, the National Onion Producers, Processors and Marketers Association of Nigeria reveals that the country’s annual production hovers around 2.1 million metric tonnes. But global data sources, such as Selina Wamucii, an international agrifood company, suggest a lower output, approximately 1.67 million metric tonnes, creating a shortfall of between 300,000 and 700,000 tonnes.

Despite this, the country holds the second highest position in onion production in Africa, trailing behind Egypt.

In 2024, Nigeria exported 1,530 metric tonnes of onion, with a total value of US$103,171. However, according to Selina Wamucii, Nigeria’s export of onion has experienced a significant decline of 75.6 per cent compared to the previous year.

As the leading producer in West Africa, the country supplies onions to markets in both West and Central Africa, as well as some European countries.

Domestic production

Most production activities in Nigeria are predominantly concentrated in the northern part of the country. States such as Sokoto, Kebbi, Kano, Zamfara, Kaduna and Katsina are particularly influential in this sector.

Other states like Bauchi, Borno, Jigawa, Gombe and Nasarawa states also contribute significantly to national production. But Sokoto alone accounts for a substantial portion of the country’s onion output, with estimates ranging from approximately 20 per cent to 70 per cent, as reported by various data.

The Nigerian onion industry holds an estimated value of N1.17 trillion, according to figures provided by the National Onion Producers, Processors and Marketers Association of Nigeria (NOPPMAN).

Despite its robust production, the country faces a critical issue of substantial post-harvest losses, which are estimated to range between 45 per cent and 50 per cent. These losses are primarily attributed to inadequate storage facilities, exposure to heat, pest infestations and a lack of local processing infrastructure.

Declining harvest pushes farmers away

Farmers in Kano said poor harvest and losses recorded during dry season farming discouraged many farmers from engaging in wet season production, leading to subsequent scarcity and rise in price.

They said the price of onions crashed after dry season farming following poor harvest, leading to lack of enthusiasm to engage in production during the rainy season.

Ibrahim Rufai, a Kano-based farmer, said many people were discouraged by the losses they suffered after dry season farming, occasioned by poor harvest and fall in price. Subsequently, very few farmers grew onions during the rainy season.

Rufai said the current scarcity and rise in price were a function of supply and demand, noting that low production created the scarcity, which explains the high price.

“What happened was that farmers suffered poor harvest during dry season farming and the price subsequently crashed. This affected rainy season farming of onions as farmers were not enthusiastic. Those who used to preserve the commodity for the price to appreciate even suffered losses because it crashed instead.

“They used to target the period between wet and dry seasons when the supply would likely reduce and demand would become high and they would make profit, but due largely to poor harvest and lack of storage facilities, most traders suffered.

“At Karfi town, which is the hub for onions in Kano, its price rose as high as N208,000 per bag this time because of scarcity. But this is likely to fall around December during dry season harvest; and the cycle continues,” Rufai said.

According to him, traders export onions to neighbouring countries like Togo, Chad and Cameroon, a situation that encourages farmers to grow the commodity, but at the same time, creates local scarcity.

Surajo Gundutse, a resident of Karfi town in Kano, said onion merchants who managed to preserve substantial quantities were smiling because on a daily basis, they load onions for delivery to different parts of the country.

“In Karfi here, many are recovering from the losses they suffered previously because the price of onions has appreciated and they are dispatching trucks to markets.

“Due to low rainfall, onion harvest was not remarkably good this season. However, farmers have already commenced activities for production, which when harvested, may bring down the price,” Gundutse said.

In Makarfi market, another onion trading hub, a bag is selling for as high as N180,000 and N200,000. Merchants from Kunkumi and adjoining villages take their onions to Makarfi market to sell to big dealers, who supply to other parts of the country.

Aliyu Mayere, a resident, told our correspondent that traders usually preserved their onions till this time when the price is likely to rise, but the poor harvest recorded last season contributed more to the rise of price this time.

“I know that farmers did not record good harvest during the last rainy season farming. Very few people who managed to preserve their onions up to this time are the ones smiling now because the price has gone up,” he noted.

Weekend Trust reports that along Zoo Road, young girls sell a bowl of onions at N2,500. It was previously sold at N1,500. A small basket goes for N5,000.

Most of the girls come from Karfi, a situation that further confirms that the scarcity of the commodity has hit the town, which is a major onion hub in Kano.

In Katsina, findings from our correspondent across some markets revealed that the price of a 120-kilogramme bag of onions, which reportedly sold at N30,000 in April 2026, rose approximately to N170,000 by October. It was also gathered that the price was higher in some locations.

The development has raised questions over what has gone wrong in one of Nigeria’s important agricultural value chains, particularly as the country remains one of Africa’s major onion producers.

Speaking on the situation, a farmer in Kano State, Alhaji Abba Iro Gafan, said the scarcity was not a cause for alarm, explaining that the commodity initially available in various markets were largely from wet season production, which usually serves as a supplementary source of supply.

He explained that onion production during the wet season was usually limited, compared with dry season harvest when farmers produce the commodity in larger quantities.

Gafan described the current scarcity and price increase as a recurring seasonal phenomenon, expressing optimism that the situation would improve in the coming months when the next production season begins.

“People should not panic; it is a normal perennial occurrence in the onion value chain. In the next few months, markets would be flooded with the commodity because the season is around the corner,” he said.

Another onion farmer, Alhaji Bello Usman Yadakwari, attributed the scarcity to inadequate wet season production, which he said was largely caused by poor access to modern storage facilities.

Yadakwari said although demand increased, many farmers were reluctant to produce in large quantities because of the risk of incurring huge post-harvest losses, particularly during the wet season.

“No doubt, the demand for onions has been on the increase, but farmers are very sceptical about large-scale production because they lack storage facilities. That is why many produced small quantities, while others decided not to venture into it at all,” he said.

However, the Kano State chairman of the National Onion Producers, Processors and Marketers Association of Nigeria, Malam Labiru Alasan, said the current crisis was not necessarily a result of inadequate production alone but also reflected deep-rooted challenges in harvesting, storage, transportation and distribution.

According to him, Nigerian onion farmers lost substantial quantities of their harvested produce between April and October 2026 largely due to inadequate storage facilities and other post-harvest challenges.

He explained that the losses significantly reduced the volume of onions available for distribution, creating a supply gap that contributed to the current price increase.

Onions to cost more ahead of festivities

Our correspondent in Jalingo, the Taraba State capital, said onions would likely cost more during Christmas and New Year festivities as a result of scarcity following poor harvest in the state this year.

It was gathered that the vegetable requires three months from planting to reach maturity, as well as substantial amount of water to produce a high yield. Unfortunately, this year, a significant reduction in rainfall was observed in most parts of the North.

Weekend Trust reports that unfavorable rainfall this year led to a reduced onion yield, causing most of this year’s harvest to be smaller than what obtained in previous years.

Our correspondent gathered that in previous years, onion farmers experienced poor harvest due to devastating diseases that affected crops in several producing states. Consequently, many farmers decided to abandon onion farming this year.

The chairman of vegetable markets in Jalingo, Tukur Muhammed, told Weekend Trust that presently, a 100kg bag of onions cost N120,000 in Jalingo; and in places like Lagos, Enugu, Owweri and other states in the South-East and South-West, the price could be higher because of cost of transportation.

He said Gombe and Gashua in Yobe State were now the main source of supply to Taraba State and other parts of the country because onions harvested before the end of rainfall was consumed.

Tukur said the high price of the commodity was a consequence of this year’s poor harvest. He linked the shortage and high cost directly to reduced yield as many farmers opted to stop growing onions after their dissatisfying results from last year.

“Currently, the main source of onion supply is Gombe State. But onions from Gashua in Yobe are beginning to enter the market.

“The high price is because of the scarcity of the produce as a result of poor harvest witnessed by farmers this year, as well as the disease that ravaged onion farms last year,” he said.

Musa Halidu, an onion farmer from Jalingo, Taraba State, told Weekend Trust that farmers in the state were failing to harness the region’s abundant water resources for high-quality production.

He noted that only a small number of farmers grew onions primarily during the dry season as most farmers would focus on producing paddy rice.

Halilu explained that Taraba and Adamawa states, along with certain regions of Cameroon, depend on supply from Yobe, Kaduna, Gombe, Katsina, Sokoto and Kebbi states, adding that the low harvest experienced by farmers was the primary cause of the high cost and scarcity.

Abuja markets

In major Abuja markets, such as Wuse, Garki, Utako, Nyanya and Lugbe, the price of onions has risen sharply in recent months.

A small-sized bag that was sold between N8,000 and N10,000 three months ago now costs between N28,000 and N35,000.

Traders and consumers attribute the increase to reduced supply from major producing states in the North, higher transportation and fuel cost, as well as alleged hoarding by some large-scale dealers.

Consumers across the city are feeling the impact, with many households adjusting their food budgets and reducing the quantity of onions used in preparing meals.

“I buy tomatoes, pepper and onions every week for my family. Last month, I was spending about N6,000 on that small combination. This week alone, onions took N4,500. I had to leave the tomatoes. My children asked why the stew looked pale and I didn’t know what to tell them,” a 29-year-old Chidinma Okafor, a civil servant who lives in Gwarinpa said.

At Kubwa, a 41-year-old housewife, Hauwa Bello, said she had to change how she prepared meals for her family.

“I used to put plenty onions in my jollof rice, but now, I count them like money. Sometimes I use only three or four for the whole pot. My husband complained that the food had no ‘taste’ again, but I told him that taste had become expensive,” she said.

At Nyanya, a young mother of twins, Blessing Eze, 26, said she had stopped buying onions completely for two weeks.

“I use only ground pepper and a little spring onion when I can find it. It is not the same, but I cannot spend N2,000 on a small heap, just for one meal,” she said.

Other housewives across the city also expressed concerns about the impact of rising onion prices on household budgets, calling on the government to intervene.

Mrs Maryam Abdullahi, 38, a resident of Garki, said she now had to prioritise other household needs over buying onions.

Onions are something we use almost every day in this house, but these days, I have to think twice before buying them. I have four children and I cannot spend so much on onions when I still have other food items to buy. The government should look into the situation and find ways to make food items affordable for ordinary Nigerians,” she said.

Similarly, Mrs Grace Nwankwo, 34, who lives in Lugbe, said the increase affected how she prepared meals for her family.

“Sometimes I would rather use the money to buy fish or other ingredients than spend so much on onions. The government should address the rising cost of food and ensure that prices come down because feeding a family is becoming increasingly difficult,” she said.

For Mrs Fatima Sani, 45, of Nyanya, the amount previously spent on onions could no longer purchase the same quantity.

“Before, with N500 or N1,000 you could buy enough to last for some days, but now, that same amount cannot get you much. The government needs to intervene, especially by addressing transportation cost and the challenges affecting farmers so that prices of food items can be reduced,” she said.

Another housewife, Mrs Esther Ojo, 31, of Kubwa, said she reduced the quantity of onions she used in preparing soup and stew.

She said: “My children are used to eating food prepared with enough onions, but I cannot continue buying them the way I used to. The government should support farmers and improve food production so that Nigerians can buy basic food items without struggling.”

Also, Mrs Zainab Ibrahim, 40, a resident of Utako, said the situation had become more difficult because household incomes had not increased in line with food prices.

“What worries me is that prices of food items keep increasing, but our incomes remain the same. You go to the market with a particular amount in mind, only to discover that you cannot buy everything on your list. The government should take the rising cost of food seriously and put measures in place to bring prices down. Ordinary families are bearing the consequences,” she said.

Food vendors, suya spots struggle

Alhaji Musa, 45, who runs a buka near Area 1, said he had reduced the quantity of onions he bought to cope with the rising cost.

“I used to buy a full bag every five days, but now, I buy half and stretch it for more than a week. Customers are noticing. Some even ask me, ‘Alhaji, wetin happen to the onion for the stew?’ I just laugh and say ‘market don change,’” he said.

At a suya spot in Wuse Zone 4, a 38-year-old vendor, Tunde Adeyemi, said the price had affected the preparation of the pepper-mix served with suya.

“Onion is important for the pepper-mix. Without it, the suya is not complete, but at this price, I have reduced the quantity. Some customers still buy, but some complain and walk away. Business is slower,” he noted.

“In our hostel at the University of Abuja, we cook together. We used to contribute N500 each for ingredients, but now, onions alone can take N1,000 or more. Some of us just eat plain rice or noodles. It is affecting our feeding seriously,” a 22-year-old final-year student, Amina Yusuf said.

Madam Aisha, an onion seller at Wuse Market for over 12 years, attributed the increase to rising supply and transportation cost.

“The bags coming from Kano and Sokoto are already expensive. Transport is high, market dues are high, and some big people are holding stock. By the time it reaches us, the price has climbed. Many customers just look and walk away. Some days I sell only two or three heaps,” she said.

Another trader at Garki Market, Mallam Ibrahim, 52, said the current price had changed customers’ buying habits.

“I have been in this business for 20 years. I have never seen onion price like this. People who used to buy full bags now buy small portions. Some come with N1,000 and still go home empty-handed,” he said.

Across Abuja, recipes are changing, portions are shrinking and a once-affordable kitchen essential has become a source of frustration for households, food vendors and traders.

An expert’s view

An agricultural economist, Mr Sam Nanpang, said the absence of appropriate handling and storage facilities had continued to undermine farmers’ efforts and expose traders to substantial financial risks.

He explained that onions required proper handling and storage conditions to maintain their quality and remain marketable, adding that without adequate preservation facilities, farmers would continue to suffer losses, while consumers would bear the consequences through higher prices.

Nanpang said addressing the situation required the provision of adequate and affordable storage facilities that farmers could effectively utilise to preserve their produce and ensure a steady supply throughout the year.

Meanwhile, it was gathered that fresh supplies of onions from major producing states, including Sokoto, Kebbi, Zamfara, Kano, Kaduna, Katsina and Adamawa, were expected to reach the markets in the coming months.

The anticipated harvest is expected to improve supply and possibly ease the current price pressure, although stakeholders believe that sustainable solutions would require investment in modern storage facilities, improved transportation and better post-harvest management.