The Federal Government has intensified efforts to transform Nigeria from a major exporter of raw shea nuts into a leading producer of high-value shea products, as part of a broader strategy to strengthen local processing and increase earnings from the global shea industry.
The renewed commitment was unveiled on Wednesday during the Nigeria Commodity Exchange (NCX) Shea Programme Stakeholders’ Forum held in Abuja. The event brought together government officials, processors, traders and industry stakeholders to discuss ways of expanding value addition within the shea sector.
Despite producing more than 40 per cent of the world’s shea nuts, Nigeria currently captures less than six per cent of the global shea butter market. According to the NCX, this gap highlights the long-standing challenge of exporting raw commodities with limited local processing and value addition.
Data presented at the forum showed that Nigeria produced approximately 359,000 tonnes of shea nuts in 2024, making it the largest producer globally. However, much of the economic value from the commodity is realised outside the country, where processed shea products are manufactured and sold in major markets across Europe, North America and Asia.
Speaking at the forum, stakeholders stressed the need to develop a more competitive and transparent shea value chain that supports local processors and improves returns for rural women who are heavily involved in shea nut collection.
The forum, themed “Adding Value at Home: A Fair Parent Market That Puts Nigerian Processors and Pickers First,” focused on measures to strengthen domestic industrialisation, improve market access and create a fairer trading environment for participants across the value chain.
Industry leaders noted that expanding local processing capacity would not only increase export earnings but also create jobs, attract investment and enhance Nigeria’s position in the global shea products market.
Stakeholders expressed optimism that stronger collaboration between government agencies, commodity exchanges and private-sector operators would help unlock the full potential of the shea industry and ensure that more value is retained within the Nigerian economy.
