President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ordered a six-month suspension of raw shea exports from Nigeria as part of efforts to strengthen local processing, expand job opportunities, and ensure greater benefits for farmers and women engaged in the value chain.
Announcing the decision on Tuesday, Tinubu described shea as “Nigeria’s green wealth,” noting that the country produces nearly 40 percent of the world’s supply but currently captures less than one percent of the $6.5 billion global market.
He said the suspension, which was recommended by the Presidential Food Systems Coordinating Unit, is aimed at securing raw material for local processors and reversing years of imbalance in trade benefits.
Tinubu declared, “This is a win for our farmers, for our women, and for Nigeria” stressing stressing that 95 percent of shea nut pickers in the country are women.
The President added that Vice President Kashim Shettima will work closely with stakeholders to rapidly expand domestic processing capacity to ensure that the new policy translates into sustainable economic growth.
“With new market access opening in Brazil and beyond, we will no longer export poverty and import value,” Tinubu said. “We will create value at home, compete abroad, and deliver prosperity under the Renewed Hope Agenda.”
Nigeria is one of the world’s largest shea producers, and the government’s latest intervention is expected to reposition the sector for greater global competitiveness while empowering local communities.
