Ban on raw shea nut export will boost rural income, create jobs for Nigerians – Tinubu

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved a six-month temporary ban on the export of raw shea nuts to strengthen Nigeria’s value-added processing industry, boost rural incomes, and create jobs.

The ban, which takes immediate effect, aims to curb informal trade and support local processors, the president said in a directive announced by Vice President Kashim Shettima on Tuesday during a multi-stakeholder meeting at the State House, Abuja.

Shettima clarified that the policy is “not anti-trade, but a pro-value addition strategy” to ensure raw materials remain in the country for processing. “This will enable our factories to run at full capacity, transform Nigeria from a raw shea nut exporter into a global supplier of refined shea butter, oil, and derivatives,” he said.

Nigeria accounts for nearly 40% of global shea nut production but captures less than 1% of the $6.5 billion global shea market. The government projects earnings of $300 million annually in the short term, with a tenfold increase by 2027.

According to Shettima, the move will also drive industrialisation, rural transformation, and gender empowerment since women account for 90% of shea pickers and processors. “By protecting this industry, we are protecting millions of women’s livelihoods and positioning Nigeria for a greater share of global trade,” he added.

Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, said over 90,000 metric tonnes of raw shea are lost yearly to informal cross-border trade, leaving processors underutilised at just 35–50% capacity despite a national installed capacity of 160,000 metric tonnes.

Kyari noted that the sector could generate over $300 million annually and tap into a projected $9 billion global market by 2030. “With five million hectares of wild shea trees and inclusion in the Zero Oil Plan, Nigeria has both the comparative and absolute advantage to dominate not only in production but also in value-added exports,” he said.

The federal government plans to review the ban after six months, with enforcement led by the Ministry of Finance and relevant agencies.