Table of Contents
The Nigeria President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has ordered a 6-month temporary suspension of raw shea nuts export, according to the Presidency team. The President’s directive was announced by Vice President Kashim Shettima on Tuesday during a multi-stakeholder meeting at the Presidential Villa. The directive was made public by Stanley Nkwocha, Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President on X account.
#BREAKING:
— Stanley Nkwocha (@stanleynkwocha_) August 26, 2025
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu @officialABAT Orders Temporary Ban On Export Of Raw Shea Nuts With Immediate Effect
Details shortly… pic.twitter.com/cU4j8mnQZl
VP Kashim Shettima has called on stakeholders—the Federal Ministry of Finance and other relevant government agencies—to ensure swift implementation of the President directive. According to VP Shettima, the export restriction is subject to review on expiration. VP Shettima said the Nigeria’s shea value will generate $300m annually in short term.
Nigeria’s Shea value chain is profitable in the short term.
The main reason for placing the 6-month ban is for the purpose of curbing informal trade, boost local processing, and protect and grow Nigeria’s shea industry. Specifically, it's aimed at boosting Nigeria’s shea value chain to generate around $300 million annually in the short term.
NIgeria is the world’s largest producer of Shea nuts but only account for 1% of the multi-billion-dollar global shea economy. "Nigeria produces nearly 40% of the global shea product, yet we account for only 1% of the global market share of $6.5 billion," says the VP. He said "this is unacceptable," and clarified that the projected $300 million in Shea value chain annually will increase 10-fold by 2027. "This is our target," he said.
Nigeria generates about 350,000 metric tonnes of shea each year across 30 states, but the country has the capacity to produce close to 900,000 metric tonnes. However, more than 90,000 metric tonnes of raw shea are lost annually through informal cross-border trade, while local processors continue to run at only 35–50 percent of their potential, despite a total national processing capacity of 160,000 metric tonnes.
While countries like Ghana, Burkina Faso, Mali, and Togo have already placed restrictions to safeguard their shea industries, Nigeria remains exposed as the only major producer without such measures. This makes it an easy target for unchecked and opportunistic buying that weakens the local market.
According to the Vice President, the government is not shutting doors but creating opportunities. He said President Tinubu is in Brazil and both countries have reached an agreement to give Nigerian shea butter and oil access to the Brazilian market within the next three months.
This move could bring in over 300 million dollars annually in the short term and help Nigeria secure a strong position in the 9-billion-dollar global market projected for 2030.
Related Posts
Jobs and Opportunities
Earlier, the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari explained that 90 percent of pickers and processors of shea are women. He said, therefore, investment in this value chain would directly translate into women’s empowerment, rural job creation, and sustainable livelihoods.
Shea is one of the few resources where Nigeria truly stands out. With more than five million hectares of naturally growing shea trees, the country has the potential not just to lead in production, but also to grow its processing industry and add more value locally.
The Presidential Food Systems Coordinating Unit (PFSCU)—a high-level initiative launched in June 2024 under President Bola Tinubu’s administration, but operating from the Office of the Vice President—in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, and the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security conducted a Rapid Assessment of the Shea Value Chain.
This research provides more evidence that shaped this Presidential directive. The PFSCU rapid assessment proves that majority of Shea nut pickers and processors are women, and has immediately engaged over 2,000 pickers and 65 processors.
“We are not closing doors, we are opening better ones. Today, we plant the seeds of an industry that will yield fruit for decades to come for our women, for our economy, and for Nigeria’s place in global trade,” said the Nigeria Vice President Kashim Shettima.
