President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved a six-month temporary ban on the export of raw shea nuts. This policy was announced on August 26, 2025, by the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari. It is a policy aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s agro-industrial landscape. According to the directive, the temporary ban is set to take immediate effect and can be removed upon expiration in the next six months.
Why Did Nigeria Ban Shea Nuts Export?
The Nigerian government has been making major policy changes over the past year. Recently, iNaijaNow reported that a new tax calculator has been released in preparation for the 2026 tax reforms. This latest policy is quite significant, given Nigeria’s position as one of the world’s top exporters of raw produce.
As a result, Nigeria currently loses tonnes of raw shea nuts annually to unregulated cross-border trade. This largely affects the domestic market and revenue generation. Additionally, despite producing nearly 40% of the world’s shea nuts, Nigeria captures less than 1% of the $6.5 billion global shea market. This policy aims to increase Nigeria’s share by promoting the export of refined shea products.
According to a statement released by Stanley Nwokocha, who is the media aide to the Vice President, Shettima, this directive “is not an anti-trade policy”. Rather, it was described as “ a pro-value addition policy designed to secure raw materials for our processing factories and enabling industries, allowing them to run at full capacity, thereby boosting rural incomes and creating jobs for our people.” Hence, restricting raw exports will help ensure a steady supply of shea nuts for domestic processors, enabling them to operate at full capacity and produce value-added products like shea butter and oil.
Furthermore, the Nigerian government projects that the enhanced shea value chain could generate approximately $300 million annually in the short term. Looking ahead, the sector aims for a tenfold increase by 2027, positioning Nigeria as a leading global supplier of refined shea products.
West African Countries Who Have Banned Shea Nuts Exports
Nigeria’s move aligns with similar policies in other West African countries which have implemented restrictions on raw shea nut exports. This was done to stimulate domestic industries and increase foreign exchange earnings from processed shea products. For instance, Togo, the seventh-largest producer of shea nuts globally, suspended the export of shea nuts and shea kernels in April 2025. This decision was made to address a shortage of raw materials for local processing units and to strengthen the domestic processing industry.
Similarly, Burkina Faso, the world’s largest exporter of shea nuts, has developed significant industrial shea butter processing capacities. The country has been focusing on adding value to its shea products domestically rather than exporting raw nuts. This approach is intended to retain more economic benefits within the country and empower local communities, particularly women involved in the shea industry.
Vice President Kashim Shettima, who conveyed the directive during a multi-stakeholder meeting at the Presidential Villa, has called on the Federal Ministry of Finance and other relevant government agencies. They have been encouraged to fast-track enforcement to ensure the policy’s success.
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