Agriculture
Nigeria produces 2m metric tonnes of onions annually – Minister
Nigeria produces about two million metric tonnes of Onions annually, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mr Muhammad Abubakar, has told the 4th Regional Onion annual conference and general meeting held in Kano.
The event was organised by the Regional observatory on Onions for West and Central Africa, in collaboration with the National Onion Producers, Processors and Marketers Association of Nigeria (NOPPMAN).
“One of the commonly consumed vegetable crops in Nigeria is onion.
“In fact, Nigeria is among the largest producers of onions in the world with over two million tonnes produced annually,” he said, pledging to support onion farmers to boost their production, for domestic and export purposes.
Represented by the Ministry’s Kano state coordinator, Mr Abba Gana-Yamani, the minister noted that onion had many health benefits.
“Onion offers excellent health benefits, and ease of cultivating the crop makes it a lucrative venture for any aspiring farmer.
“Onion is used in the preparation of most of the popular Nigerian delicious meals and has numerous health benefits which included lowering cholesterol, blood pressure and sugar levels,” he said.
The minister, however, noted that although there were many farmers involved in the production of red onions, there was still a shortfall in meeting national demand, especially during the wet season.
According to him, the crop was grown mostly in Kano, Sokoto, Jigawa, Kaduna, Katsina, Bauchi, Borno, Plateau and Kebbi States.
In his remarks, Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State said that onion was an important vegetable crop used by all households in the country.
Ganduje, who was represented by his Deputy, Alhaji Nasiru Yusuf-Gawuna, said Kano state was the third-largest onion producer in the country, with the highest number of onion markets.
The governor said that his administration was ready to join hands with private firms to establish an onion processing factory in the state.
Also speaking, the National President, NOPPMAN, Aliyu Isah-Maitasamu, said that the conference was meant to provide them with the opportunity to review their activities after the COVID-19 pandemic.
He said that the country required about 2.5 million metric tonnes of onions annually.
Isah-Maitasamu said onion was being used by pharmaceutical companies and could be turned into powder to produce bread, chocolate and other products for human consumption, noting that the country needed about 2.5 million metric tonnes of onions annually, to meet demand.
Mustapha Kadri, President, Regional observatory on Onions for West and Central Africa, said that onion was being produced in 22 countries in the region.
He urged stakeholders to intensify efforts in supporting the production of the crop for its value chain benefits.
The Borno Government has announced the creation of Ministry of Livestock and Fishery Development to align its
Development strategy with Federal Government initiatives, and boost the state’s economic potential.
Gov. Babagana Zulum made the announcement on Tuesday during the swearing in of two commissioners at the council chambers of the Government House.
Zulum underscored the importance of livestock and fisheries as vital sectors with untapped revenue potential.
He emphasised that the new ministry would focus on high-yield livestock breeds, milk production and fisheries, targeting both domestic consumption and export opportunities.
The governor said that “no state government can make substantial money in livestock alone, but we believe with the right investment and political will, the sector can generate significant revenue.”
He said that the growing demand for milk by yogurt companies and the proximity of Maiduguri to Asian and Arab markets, are great opportunities for dairy exportation.
The governor, therefore, assigned the Deputy Governor, Dr Umar Kadafur, to oversee the activities of the new ministry, citing his practical experience and passion for livestock development.
He said “livestock development is not just about academic qualifications, it is about practice and the deputy governor has demonstrated capability in that regard.”
According to him, the ministry will prioritise procuring high-yielding livestock varieties, enhancing milk production and creating sustainable rural projects to support
Local communities.
He said that projects in Mafa, Gajiram and in Southern Borno will soon be launched under the new ministry’s purview.
The governor urged civil servants and ministry personnel to take ownership of the new initiative, adding that the ministry’s success would contribute to the states
Long-term economic stability and self-reliance.
The Port Harcourt Refinery, managed by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.) through the Port Harcourt Refining Company Limited (PHRC) has commenced operations after undergoing rehabilitation and modernisation.
The refinery with 210,000 bpd refining capacity located at Alesa, Eleme, in Port Harcourt, comprises two operational units which were established in 1965 and 1989.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the old plant refines a capacity of 60,000 barrels per day (bpd), while the new plant refines 150,000 bpd.
It would be recalled that the Federal Government, under former President, Muhammadu Buhari, had in March 2021 secured a 1.5 billion dollars loan to rehabilitate the facility which contract was awarded to an Italian firm, Tecnimont S.P.A, a subsidiary of Maire Tecnimont Group.
NAN) reports that Malam Mele Kyari, the Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Ltd. is leading the team to inspect the first lifting of petroleum product from the facility after its rehabilitation.
Alia appoints head of agric company, others
Gov. Hyacinth Alia has approved the appointment of Mr. Donald Aorkwagh Akule as the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Benue State Agricultural Development Company (ADC).
The governor also approved the appointment of Dr Aondoakaa Asambe as Principal Special Assistant (PSA) on Livestock Development and Animal Transboundary Disease Control.
The appointments were announced in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary (CPS), Sir Tersoo Kula, and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Makurdi on Friday.
According to the statement, the governor also appointed Mr Abraham Agogo as Senior Special Assistant (SSA) on Community Mobilisation.
The statement added that the appointments take immediate effect.
It said that Akule brings over 15 years of experience in agricultural systems, community development, research and development, and food processing.
He holds a B.Sc. in Food Science and Technology from Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University, Makurdi, and is a Certified Fellow in Agricultural Systems Development under USAID and Lagos Business School.
Meanwhile, Asambe, a member of the Nigeria Veterinary Medical Association and a registered veterinary surgeon with the Veterinary Council of Nigeria, has been a lecturer at Federal University, Dutsima, for the past 12 years.
He holds a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Agriculture, Makurdi (now Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University, Makurdi).
He also holds a postgraduate degree in Food Animal Medicine at the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.
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