IN a groundbreaking development for Nigeria’s Industrial transformation, the Minister of State for Industry, Senator John Owan Enoh, commissioned the first phase of an advanced Onion Storage Processing Plant in Kano.
This state-of-the-art facility, owned by Prism Foods Limited, boasts a storage capacity of over 10,000 metric tons and represents an investment of ₦10 billion. Currently employing approximately 200 people, the plant is poised to revolutionise onion storage and processing in West Africa.
According to Prism Foods Limited CEO Aman Gupta, the storage facility has a power-generating plant with an expanded capacity of 240 tons and employs advanced temperature control systems to preserve the quality of onions. It is also equipped with fire containment measures to ensure the safety of stored produce.
During his speech, Senator Enoh described the facility as the largest of its kind in the region, emphasising the importance of industrial growth under Agenda 7 of President Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu’s eight-point agenda.
He stressed the need for collaborative, technologically driven, and innovative efforts from individuals and organisations to combat food insecurity, unemployment, and bolster local production.
Encouraging further development, the Minister urged the CEO of Prism Foods Limited to expedite the second phase of the project, which includes establishing a processing hub to convert onions into powder and other byproducts.
Addressing press men, the Minister acknowledged the plant’s ability to tackle post-harvest losses and waste, and also speakes to Nigeria’s agricultural and industrial growth, adding to the value of the initial product.
He reiterated the Federal government’s efforts in ensuring that industries are given incentives to boost more of such initiatives through the Bank of Industry loans.
The President of National Onion Producers, Processors and Marketers Association of Nigeria (NOPPMAN) Aliyu Isa Maitasamu assured the Minister of their continued support for increased productivity.
The Kano State Governor, Engr. Abba Kabir Yusuf, represented by Hon. Shehu Muhammad Sagagi, Commissioner of Industry, Trade, and Investment, expressed his gratitude to the federal government for its support. He lauded the Minister’s visit as a step toward actualising President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
The Governor called for enhanced federal collaboration to establish small-scale onion collection centers and structured access to financing for Kano farmers to scale production and adopt improved technologies.
Hon. Sagagi proposed the establishment of a National Onion Council to oversee quality standards and coordinate production clusters, ensuring sustainable growth for the onion industry in Nigeria.
