NIGERIA: Flooding, Climate Crisis Push Onion Prices To Abnormal Level

By Onoja Baba, Nigeria 

Nigeria is grappling with onion shortage, as prices have surged to unprecedented levels, driven by the compounded effects of flooding, climate change, and a lack of critical farming inputs.

The Onion Producers, Processors, and Marketers Association of Nigeria has attributed the sharp rise to environmental and systemic challenges that have crippled production across key farming regions.

According to the association’s National President, Aliyu Isah, the soaring prices began in the last quarter of 2024.

A bag of onions now sells between ₦250,000 and ₦270,000, compared to just ₦70,000 to ₦90,000 earlier in the year.

The price of a single medium-sized onion bulb has similarly skyrocketed from ₦50 to ₦500, putting immense pressure on households and businesses.

Isah highlighted the 2024 floods as a major factor, devastating onion farms across the northern states of Sokoto, Kebbi, Zamfara, Kano, Kaduna, Katsina, and Adamawa.

Dam water releases, such as from the Goroyo Dam in Sokoto, exacerbated the situation, destroying large swaths of farmland.

Additionally, dam breakages in Borno State further compounded the losses, leaving farmers without viable crops.

Beyond flooding, climate change dealt another blow to onion production.

Prolonged rainfall in 2024 created high humidity levels that triggered widespread disease outbreaks, particularly Downy Mildew.

This disease ravaged onion crops at every stage of growth, from seedlings to harvest-ready plants, significantly reducing yields.

Adding to the crisis, local seed production was disrupted by the environmental challenges, forcing farmers to rely on imported hybrid seeds.

However, many of these seeds were adulterated, leading to poor yields and substantial losses.

By late 2024, even farmers with the financial means struggled to find quality seeds, further stalling production.