President Bola Tinubu has approved a one-year extension of the ban on the export of raw shea nuts, effective from February 26, 2026, to February 25, 2027.
The development was disclosed on Wednesday in a statement issued by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
According to the statement, the extension underscores the administration’s commitment to industrial development, domestic value addition and the broader objectives of the Renewed Hope Agenda.
The ban is designed to boost local processing capacity, improve livelihoods in shea-producing communities and expand Nigeria’s export base through value-added products rather than raw commodities.
To strengthen implementation, the President authorised the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment and the Presidential Food Security Coordination Unit (PFSCU) to coordinate a unified, evidence-based national framework. The framework is expected to align industrialisation, trade and investment priorities across the shea value chain.
Tinubu also approved the adoption of an export framework developed by the Nigerian Commodity Exchange (NCX) and directed the withdrawal of all waivers previously granted for the direct export of raw shea nuts.
Under the new directive, any surplus raw shea nuts must be exported strictly through the NCX framework in line with approved guidelines.
Additionally, the President instructed the Federal Ministry of Finance to open a dedicated NESS Support Window. This will enable the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment to pilot a Livelihood Finance Mechanism aimed at strengthening production and processing capacity within the sector.
Tinubu had earlier imposed a six-month ban on raw shea nut exports last year as part of efforts to stimulate domestic processing and protect Nigeria’s shea industry.
Shea nuts, harvested from shea trees predominantly found in Nigeria’s Savanna belt, are processed into shea butter. The product is widely used in cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and food production. Processed shea butter can fetch between 10 and 20 times the price of raw nuts in international markets.
The Federal Government reiterated its commitment to policies that promote inclusive growth, local manufacturing and Nigeria’s competitiveness in global agricultural value chains.
