President Bola Tinubu has approved a one-year extension of the ban on raw shea nut exports, effective February 26, 2026, through February 25, 2027, reinforcing the administration’s push for industrialisation and domestic value addition.
The announcement was made on Wednesday by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga. According to the statement, the extension aligns with the broader objectives of the government’s Renewed Hope Agenda and aims to stimulate local processing capacity, improve livelihoods in shea-producing communities, and expand Nigeria’s export base through value-added products rather than raw commodities.
To ensure effective implementation, Tinubu authorised the Federal Ministers of Industry, Trade and Investment, alongside the Presidential Food Security Coordination Unit (PFSCU), to coordinate a unified, evidence-based national framework. The framework is designed to align industrialisation, trade, and investment priorities across the shea value chain.
The President also approved an export framework developed by the Nigerian Commodity Exchange and directed the withdrawal of all waivers previously granted for direct exports of raw shea nuts. Under the new directive, any surplus raw nuts must be exported strictly through the NCX framework in line with approved guidelines.
Tinubu further instructed the Federal Ministry of Finance to open a dedicated NESS Support Window to enable the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment to pilot a Livelihood Finance Mechanism aimed at “strengthening production and processing capacity” in shea-producing communities.
Shea nuts, harvested primarily from trees in Nigeria’s Savanna belt, are processed into shea butter, a high-value commodity used in cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and food products. Processed shea butter can sell for 10 to 20 times the price of raw nuts in international markets, highlighting the economic potential of domestic processing.
The President’s decision builds on a six-month ban imposed last year and signals the Federal Government’s continued commitment to policies that promote inclusive growth, support local manufacturing, and enhance Nigeria’s competitiveness in global agricultural value chains.
