President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved a one-year extension of the prohibition on exporting raw shea nuts, effective from February 26, 2026, to February 25, 2027.
The move reflects the administration’s drive to promote local industrial growth, expand domestic value addition, and advance the goals of the Renewed Hope Agenda. By maintaining the restriction, the government aims to boost in-country processing capacity, create more economic opportunities in shea-producing communities, and increase Nigeria’s earnings from value-added exports.
To ensure coordinated implementation, the President has mandated the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, alongside the Presidential Food Security Coordination Unit (PFSCU), to develop and execute a harmonised national strategy for the shea value chain.
This framework will align industrialisation, trade, and investment priorities using data-driven policies.
Tinubu also endorsed the export structure designed by the Nigerian Commodity Exchange (NCX) and ordered the cancellation of all waivers that previously permitted direct export of raw shea nuts. Any surplus production must now be channelled strictly through the NCX framework in line with approved regulations.
Furthermore, the President instructed the Federal Ministry of Finance to grant access to a dedicated NESS Support Window. This facility will enable the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment to pilot a Livelihood Finance Mechanism aimed at improving production and strengthening local processing capabilities.
Shea nuts, harvested from the shea tree widely found in Nigeria’s savanna region, are processed into shea butter — a high-value product used in cosmetics, skincare, haircare, and cooking oil. Processed shea butter commands significantly higher prices, sometimes up to 10 to 20 times the value of raw nuts, reinforcing the government’s emphasis on local processing over raw export.