- Tinubu extends shea nut export ban by one year
- Policy targets local processing and value addition
- Renewed Hope Agenda drives industrial growth
- NCX export framework now mandatory
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved a one-year extension of the ban on the export of raw shea nuts, reaffirming his administration’s commitment to strengthening domestic processing and expanding Nigeria’s industrial base within the agricultural value chain.
The extension covers the period from February 26, 2026, to February 25, 2027, according to a State House press release issued on Wednesday.
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The presidency said the move is aimed at deepening value addition, encouraging local manufacturing, and boosting Nigeria’s competitiveness in global agricultural markets.
Speaking on the decision, the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, explained that the policy aligns with the administration’s broader industrialisation goals under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
“The decision underscores the administration’s commitment to advancing industrial development, strengthening domestic value addition, and supporting the objectives of the Renewed Hope Agenda,” the statement read.
The presidency noted that the continued restriction on raw shea nut exports is designed to expand Nigeria’s shea processing capacity, improve livelihoods in producing communities, and shift export focus from raw commodities to higher-value finished products.
To ensure effective implementation, President Tinubu has directed the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment and the Presidential Food Security Coordination Unit to jointly coordinate a unified, evidence-based national framework for the shea nut value chain.
“This framework will align industrialisation, trade, and investment priorities across the entire shea nut value chain,” the statement added.
The President also approved the adoption of an export framework developed by the Nigerian Commodity Exchange and ordered the immediate withdrawal of all existing waivers that previously allowed the direct export of raw shea nuts.
“He also approved the adoption of an export framework established by the Nigerian Commodity Exchange and the withdrawal of all waivers permitting the direct export of raw shea nuts,” Onanuga stated.
Under the new directive, any surplus raw shea nuts must be exported strictly through the NCX framework and in line with approved guidelines.
Shea nuts, harvested from shea trees predominantly found in Nigeria’s savanna belt, are the primary raw material for shea butter—a high-value product widely used in cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and edible oils.
The Federal Government noted that processed shea butter commands significantly higher prices in international markets, often earning between 10 and 20 times more than raw shea nuts.