The 6th edition of the National Onion Day is taking place from October 25 to 27, 2026, at the Palais du 29 Juillet in Niamey. This year's theme, "Youth Involvement in Agro-Food Transformation and E-commerce Development," highlights the importance of integrating young people into the agro-food sector. The event aims to promote the valorization of national production, with a focus on transforming and electronically trading onions.
The Secretary General of the Ministry of Trade and Industry, Ali Samba Diabiri, presided over the event on behalf of the Minister. He emphasized the significance of the onion sector in the national economy, particularly in terms of generating income for producers, traders, and transformation actors. However, Diabiri noted that selling onions in their raw state does not always yield maximum profit due to difficulties in conservation, post-harvest losses, price fluctuations, and limited access to markets.
Diabiri stressed that the real challenge lies not only in production capacity but also in preserving, transforming, packaging, marketing, and distributing products to derive greater added value. He presented agro-food transformation as a key lever for economic sovereignty, urging a gradual shift towards an economy that better values its own resources. This approach aims to increase the national production's value and competitiveness.
The theme of this edition, "Youth Involvement in Agro-Food Transformation and E-commerce," was addressed by Diabiri, who highlighted the need to provide young people with training, professional insertion, and entrepreneurship opportunities in agricultural and agro-food sectors. He also emphasized the potential of e-commerce to connect producers and consumers, facilitate exchanges between processors and distributors, and expand commercial outlets.
Diabiri mentioned that the Ministry of Trade and Industry has initiated the development of a national e-commerce strategy, with a pre-validation workshop currently underway in Bangoula. He expressed his wish for the National Onion Day to generate concrete initiatives for local transformation, product conservation, financing for small and medium-sized enterprises, and the use of digital tools for marketing.
The President of the FUFFON Nyalanta Federation, Moustapha Kadri Mariétou, also spoke at the event, highlighting the importance of this manifestation. The Ministry of Trade and Industry reaffirmed its commitment to supporting initiatives that promote local products and enhance the competitiveness of national enterprises.
The 6th National Onion Day brings together various stakeholders to discuss the challenges and opportunities in the onion sector. The event provides a platform for sharing experiences, expertise, and innovative ideas to boost the sector's growth and development. Key issues, such as youth involvement and e-commerce development, are expected to be addressed through partnerships and collaborations.
Key points
- The 6th National Onion Day focuses on youth involvement in agro-food transformation and e-commerce development.
- The event aims to promote the valorization of national production, with a focus on transforming and electronically trading onions.
- The Ministry of Trade and Industry is committed to supporting initiatives that promote local products and enhance the competitiveness of national enterprises.
