Accra, the capital of Ghana, is facing an onion crisis that is affecting food supplies across West Africa. Onion sellers in the city's markets are seeing dwindling stocks and soaring prices as imports from Niger have been disrupted due to political instability and sanctions.
Niger is the main exporter of onions to West African countries like Ghana, supplying around 70% of Ghana's onion imports. However, in July 2022, Niger's democratically elected president Mohamed Bazoum was overthrown in a military coup. In response, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) imposed sanctions on Niger, including closing borders with neighboring countries.
This has had severe repercussions for Ghana's onion supply. Yakubu Akteniba, an onion seller in Accra's Adjen Kotoku market, says truckloads of onions arriving at the market have dropped from 20 daily to just 2 to 5. Onion prices have nearly doubled, with a 100kg sack now costing $105 instead of $61 previously. Residents like Deborah Biney say they have had to reduce the amount of onions they use in cooking due to the soaring prices.
Onions are a staple in West African cuisine and have many health benefits. Nutritionist Patience Naa Adjeley Adjei notes that onions contain fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants that can help regulate blood sugar and support bone health. However, with onion prices skyrocketing, some households may have to cut back on using them, which would be "disturbing", she says.
Ghana only produces 5% of the onions it consumes locally. The government is now planning interventions to boost domestic onion production in order to reduce imports. However, Peter Appiah Mensah, who owns trucks that import onions from Niger, says insecurity in the Sahel region is also hindering supplies. Armed groups are attacking trucks, especially in Niger.
Some experts argue that ECOWAS should soften its stance against Niger's military government to restart regional trade flows and address the crisis. Ziad Hamoui of the Borderless Alliance advocacy group says completely closing borders is not an effective policy and regional leaders need to establish dialogue mechanisms.
The onion crisis also highlights Ghana's vulnerability to disruptions in global supply chains. Akteniba hopes it will prompt the government to invest more in local onion production. However, Ghanaian onions tend to be smaller, so solutions will be needed to address that.
In the meantime, onion sellers in Accra's markets are struggling with dwindling stocks and rising prices. The crisis has also exposed the fragility of food systems in West Africa and the need for greater self-sufficiency at a national and regional level. Political instability in one country is having ripple effects across the entire region, threatening food security and livelihoods. As Hamoui puts it: "You can't really stop trade by blocking the borders." Regional cooperation and dialogue will be essential to resolve the current crisis and build more resilience into West African food systems for the future.
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