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Nigeria ends raw shea export, prioritizes value addition

The Federal Government has declared an end to the export of raw shea nuts, aiming instead to promote industrialization and value addition within the country. This policy shift was announced by the Minister of State for Industry, John Enoh, at the Shea 2026: Beyond Borders conference in Accra, Ghana. Nigeria, which produces nearly 40 percent of the global shea supply, currently captures only about one percent of the $6.5 billion global market due to exporting raw nuts. Processed shea butter sells for 10 to 20 times the price of raw nuts. The government seeks to increase processed shea earnings from an estimated $65 million to $300 million in the near term, with a potential growth to $3 billion by 2027. An initial six-month ban on raw shea nut exports was implemented in August 2025, and President Tinubu extended this ban for another year on February 26, 2026, moving the deadline to the end of February 2027. Under the extension, all shea exports must pass through the Nigeria Commodity Exchange framework. Other West African countries, including Burkina Faso, Mali, Côte d’Ivoire, Togo, and Ghana, have also imposed or phased in bans on raw shea exports. At the Accra conference, Nigeria's Ali Saidu was appointed the new Chair of the Global Shea Alliance, marking the first time a Nigerian has led the organization. The Presidential Food Systems Coordinating Unit highlighted Nigeria's commitment to regional coordination to ensure Africa captures greater value from shea, noting that rur