Onion price jumps from N30,000 to N300,000 per bag in six months

The price of a 120kg bag of onions has risen from N30,000 in April 2026 to about N300,000 in October, a 900 per cent increase in six months, Vanguard reports.

The National Onion Producers, Processors and Marketers Association of Nigeria (NOPPMAN) attributed the increase to inadequate storage facilities and fire outbreaks in warehouses in the North, which caused post-harvest losses of more than 51 per cent within the period.

A Vanguard AgroBiz survey showed that a big sack of fresh onions sold for N300,000 at Mile 12 market in Lagos last week, while the dried variety went for between N350,000 and N380,000.

NOPPMAN National President, Aliyu Isah, said the surge was not due to inadequate national production. “It’s not that we did not produce enough for the country, but we lost more than 51% from April to October,” he said.

He also blamed unsuitable seeds, reportedly brought in from Algeria during the 2024-2025 season, for losses of nearly N100bn, and called for government intervention.

Isah expects supplies from Sokoto in November and December, followed by Aliero, Kebbi State, from late December to January. He expressed optimism that the main harvest in March and April would ease prices.