President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has described the suspension of raw shea nuts exports from Nigeria as a strategic move to empower local farmers and women in agribusiness, while also boosting the country’s non-oil export earnings.
Speaking through his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, on Tuesday in Abuja, the President said the decision was taken to encourage value addition, strengthen the domestic processing industry, and create jobs across rural communities where women dominate the shea value chain.
“Shea is one of Nigeria’s treasures, and its value lies not in exporting it raw but in processing it into butter and derivatives that the global market demands. This suspension is not punitive; it is an opportunity to transform livelihoods, especially for our women and smallholder farmers,” Tinubu stated.
He emphasized that Nigeria loses millions of dollars annually by exporting raw shea nuts instead of processed shea products, which are used in cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and food industries worldwide.
According to government data, over 60 percent of those involved in shea harvesting and processing in Nigeria are rural women, making the sector a vital source of empowerment for households.
The President assured stakeholders that his administration, through the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment and the Raw Materials Research and Development Council, would provide technical and financial support for local processors to scale production and meet international standards.
Farmers’ associations and women cooperatives across the North Central region, where shea trees are most abundant, have welcomed the policy, saying it would increase their earnings and reduce exploitation by middlemen.
Mrs. Aisha Usman, leader of a women’s cooperative in Niger State, described the suspension as “long overdue,” stressing that it would help Nigerian women benefit more from their labour.
Trade experts also noted that the policy aligns with the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement, as processed shea products would enjoy higher competitiveness within the African and global markets.
President Tinubu reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to diversifying the economy through agriculture and industrialization, saying the new policy on shea aligns with his Renewed Hope Agenda to create jobs, empower women, and enhance Nigeria’s foreign exchange earnings.
