A growing dispute between Ghanaian and Nigerian onion traders has escalated into a major supply standoff, with 59 trucks belonging to Ghanaian importers reportedly held up in Nigeria.

The situation, according to the Onion Sellers Association, is already threatening market stability and could lead to shortages if not resolved quickly.

Chairman of the Association, Imoro Asutam, confirmed the development, explaining that the trucks were stopped from moving into Ghana after a misunderstanding at the Adjen Kotoku Market in Accra. “Each truck carries onions worth about five billion old Ghana cedis,” he said, stressing the heavy financial impact on traders.

The standoff follows an earlier clash in which Nigerian traders were allegedly prevented from offloading 16 trucks of onions at the market.

Mr Asutam said tensions rose when some Nigerian traders “attempted to sell more onions than permitted under existing local arrangements,” a move he said angered some youth in the market and sparked the confrontation.

He revealed that the Trade Ministry has invited the leadership of the onion traders for an emergency meeting to de-escalate the matter and find a lasting solution. The Ministry’s intervention, he noted, is crucial to prevent further disruption to the supply chain.

Meanwhile, the Secretary of the Accra Onion Sellers Association, Alhaji Osman Muhammed Sidi, said the impasse shows why Ghana must urgently boost local onion production. He argued that the country’s dependence on imports exposes traders to unnecessary conflict and price instability.

“We need the government to support onion farming here in Ghana,” he said. “If we produce enough locally, these disputes will not affect us the way they do now.”

Traders fear the situation, if prolonged, could push up prices in the coming weeks.