President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed an immediate, temporary ban on the export of raw shea nuts in a bid to encourage local processing and boost value addition in Nigeria’s agricultural sector.
The directive was announced on Tuesday in Abuja through a statement issued by Mr. Stanley Nkwocha, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications, Office of the Vice President.
According to the Presidency, the move is aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s non-oil export base by ensuring that shea nuts, one of the country’s key agricultural resources, are processed locally before being exported. This, the government believes, will not only create more jobs but also increase foreign exchange earnings through the export of finished products such as shea butter and other derivatives.
Nigeria is one of the largest producers of shea nuts globally, but most of its produce is exported in raw form, depriving the country of significant economic benefits that come with local value addition.
The temporary suspension of raw shea nut exports is expected to give room for new policies and investment incentives to be introduced, encouraging industries to expand capacity and participate more actively in the shea value chain.
Government officials say the measure aligns with Tinubu’s broader economic reforms targeted at boosting industrialisation, reducing dependency on crude oil, and fostering self-reliance in agro-processing.
