By Ghazali Ibrahim
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ordered an immediate temporary suspension of raw shea nut exports as part of measures to promote local processing and value addition in Nigeria’s agricultural sector.
The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari, announced the directive on Tuesday, noting that it aims to enhance the country’s capacity to process shea nuts locally, create jobs, and increase export earnings from finished products.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria, Vice-President Kashim Shettima is currently chairing a high-level implementation meeting with key stakeholders to map out strategies for enforcing the presidential order.
Nigeria remains a dominant force in the global shea industry, accounting for roughly 45% of total world production.
Most of the country’s shea nut cultivation takes place in the northern region, with Niger State serving as the largest producer.
The ban is expected to remain in place until the government finalizes policies to support domestic processors and strengthen the value chain.
