The National Onion Producers, Processors and Marketers Association of Nigeria (NOPPMAN) said it has facilitated a N1.6 billion input support package for farmers in four northwestern states Sokoto, Kebbi, Borno and Yobe.
Alhaji Aliyu Isah, President of the association, Alhaji Aliyu Isah, who disclosed this at the National Executive Council meeting of NOPPMAN on Wednesday in Abuja, disclosed that the support package was provided by the National Agricultural Development Fund (NADF).
Isah said the inputs, distributed in November 2025, included improved seeds, fertilizers and agrochemicals. According to him, the intervention was aimed at stabilizing onion production and moderating price volatility in key producing states.
Giving a breakdown of NOPPMAN’s achievements between June 2024 and May 2026, Isah said the association also facilitated over N500 million input support from the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (FMAFS) for farmers in Gombe and Kano states.
He said the inputs, distributed in October 2024, comprised certified seeds, knapsack sprayers, agrochemicals and liquid fertilizers aimed at enhancing farm-level productivity and improving input availability for smallholder onion farmers.
He added that NOPPMAN also mobilized a multi-input support package comprising seeds, agrochemicals, solar pumps, power tillers and onion dryers from the FMAFS in Sokoto State in September 2025 to improve mechanization and post-harvest handling.
According to him, the association also secured cash compensation for flood-affected onion farmers from BUA Cement in Wamakko Local Government Area of Sokoto State between 2024 and 2026. He said the support provided financial relief and livelihood restoration for flood-displaced farmers.
Isah further said the association facilitated agricultural input support from the Kebbi State Government last March in order to improve access to farming inputs for onion-producing communities.
The NOPPMAN President commended members of the association for collaborating with the National Agricultural Seeds Council (NASC) in the successful prosecution of importers of counterfeit seeds between 2024 and 2026.
He said the prosecution and conviction of offenders served as a deterrent against seed adulteration and improved farmers’ confidence in certified seed supply chains.
Isah also said the association collaborated with Prism Foods for the unveiling of the largest onion storage facility in Kano by the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment in April 2025.
According to him, the facility is designed to provide cold-chain storage services for onion producers and traders. He said the storage facility would significantly reduce post-harvest losses and enhance market stability for actors within the onion value chain.
Isah said the meeting was convened to strengthen the onion value chain and improve the livelihoods of farmers and agribusiness operators across the country.
The Executive Secretary of NADF, Mohammed Ibrahim, assured stakeholders of the organization’s commitment to the development of the onion seed system and infrastructure within the sub-sector. Represented by Mr Samuel Aende, Head of Emergency Support at NADF, Ibrahim said the organisation was also committed to training and capacity development for farmers.
“We distributed inputs to 2,000 onion farmers in Sokoto, Kebbi, Yobe and Borno states in 2025. The intention was to support them against losses incurred from floods and climate-related shocks that affected onion production across the states. We are committed to the remaining intervention programmes already initiated,” he said.
Mrs Afusatu Babalola, Deputy Director, Federal Department of Horticulture, FMAFS, said the meeting was aimed at strengthening the onion value chain in the country. Babalola stated that the onion sub-sector remained a vital component of Nigeria’s agricultural economy, contributing to food security, employment generation, income creation and regional trade.
She commended onion producers, processors, marketers and other stakeholders for sustaining production despite prevailing challenges in the agricultural sector.
“We are particularly encouraged by the association’s commitment towards improving production, post-harvest handling, storage infrastructure, value addition and export development. As a ministry, we remain committed to policies and programmes that will enhance agricultural productivity, reduce post-harvest losses, improve market access and promote agribusiness investments across the country.
“We believe that collaboration between government and commodity associations such as NOPPMAN is essential to achieving sustainable agricultural development and ensuring national food security,” she said.
Babalola urged stakeholders to continue working together in unity, transparency and mutual understanding for the advancement of the onion industry and Nigeria’s agricultural sector.
Agribusiness: IFAD, FG Train 697 Young Farmers in Ondo
International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), Federal Government, and Livelihood Improvement Family Enterprises Niger-Delta (LIFE-ND) Project in Ondo State, have enrolled and trained 697 young farmers to eradicate food shortage in the country.
Dr Olawale Ademola, IFAD State Project Coordinator (SPC), made the disclosure during the learning route for trainees of LIFE-ND in the additional financing phase of the project held at Nibanola Farms in Ondo Town on Wednesday.
Ademola, represented by Mr Gbenga Agbotoba, IFAD State Knowledge Management and Communication Officer, said the 697 incubates were drawn from nine Local Government Area (LGA) of 49 communities in Ondo State.
The SPC, who said the learning route was to give incubates further technical skill and also expose them to other business environments, said it would help incubates to be more focused and motivated in their business enterprise.
“Today, about 30 trainees were drawn from Akure North, Akoko North-West, Owo, Ondo East, Ilaje and Ese-Odo LGAs to participate in a learning route programme,” he said.
Ademola explained that the trainees had been trained in their various centres in their chosen enterprises like cassava, cocoa, fishery and poultry farming.
He said the learning route was to expose young farmers to practical knowledge and strengthen them in enterprise management and value chain development.
He further stated that “the 697 incubates enrolled in November 2025, some were trained for one month and some for three months and each received N50,000 stipend per month. Now, the project is putting things in order to empower and support them by giving grants to start their business and to put into practice what they have been trained for.
“So, we are encouraging young farmers to go into agribusiness to make a life and good living out of what they are doing. Young farmers can engage in agribusiness such as cocoa marketing, production, Cocoa nursery production, cassava production and processing, and poultry production
“Also fish production, processing and marketing as well as vegetable production like tomato, cucumber and pepper. It will be for their benefit and the country at large,” he said.
The general manager of Nibanola Farms, Mr Segun Akinbinuade, said the farms were into different agribusiness, and charged the incubates to work on their mindset and see agriculture as a flourishing and profitable businesses. Akinbinuade, therefore, encouraged the trainees and Nigerian youths to engage in agribusiness, rather than chasing white collar jobs.
One of the trainees, Adebukunola Olowolagba, a Poultry Farmer from Akoko North-West LGA, expressed gratitude to IFAD for its roles in shaping the life of young people through the agricultural training and empowerment.
Olowolagba, who reflected on the progress made by Nibanola Farms, said the young farmers could also achieve similar success with dedication and effort.
“The visit to Nibanola Farms today has giving me more encouragement in my poultry farming business. The farm believes in persistence and consistency, so if we young farmers can put more effort in our various farming areas, definitely, success will be ours too,” she said.