President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved a one-year extension of the ban on the export of raw shea nuts, effective from February 26, 2026, to February 25, 2027. The move is aimed at strengthening domestic value addition, advancing industrial development, and supporting the objectives of the Renewed Hope Agenda.
According to a statement signed by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, the extension is intended to deepen Nigeria’s processing capacity, enhance livelihoods in shea-producing communities, and encourage the growth of exports based on value-added products rather than raw commodities.
To ensure coordinated implementation, President Tinubu has tasked the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, alongside the Presidential Food Security Coordination Unit (PFSCU), with developing a unified national framework aligning industrialisation, trade, and investment priorities along the shea nut value chain.
The President also approved the adoption of an export framework established by the Nigerian Commodity Exchange (NCX), withdrawing all waivers that previously allowed direct export of raw shea nuts. Any surplus supply must now be exported exclusively through the NCX framework in line with the approved guidelines.
Additionally, the Federal Ministry of Finance has been directed to provide access to a dedicated NESS Support Window to pilot a Livelihood Finance Mechanism, aimed at strengthening production and processing capacities in shea-producing communities.
Shea nuts, widely grown across Nigeria’s Savanna belt, are processed into shea butter, a key ingredient in cosmetics and edible oils. Locally processed shea butter commands 10 to 20 times the price of raw nuts, making processing a critical driver of economic empowerment for farmers.
The Federal Government reaffirmed its commitment to inclusive growth, local manufacturing, and positioning Nigeria as a competitive player in global agricultural value chains.
