The Federal Government has declared that Nigeria will no longer prioritise the export of raw shea nuts, insisting that the country must now focus on local processing and value addition to boost earnings from the global shea industry.

The Minister of State for Industry, Senator John Enoh, made the statement at the Shea 2026: Beyond Borders conference held in Accra, Ghana, where he represented Nigeria alongside other top government officials.

Enoh said the country’s long-standing practice of exporting raw shea nuts while importing finished products is no longer sustainable, stressing that the future lies in industrialisation and value-added production.

He explained that Nigeria’s new industrial policy is designed to promote domestic processing, attract investment, and strengthen participation in global value chains rather than relying on raw commodity exports.

The Federal Government had earlier introduced a ban on the export of raw shea nuts in August 2025, which was initially set for six months but later extended to February 2027. The policy aims to encourage local processing before export.

Under the revised framework, all shea exports must pass through the Nigeria Commodity Exchange system, with previous exemptions for raw exports removed.

Nigeria is one of the world’s largest producers of shea nuts, accounting for a significant share of global supply. However, it earns only a small fraction of the multibillion-dollar global shea market due to limited processing capacity.

Processed shea products, widely used in cosmetics, food, and pharmaceuticals, sell for significantly higher value than raw nuts, prompting the government’s push to retain more value within the country.

Officials say the country hopes to substantially increase earnings from shea exports by expanding processing capacity and improving infrastructure for local producers.

The policy has already impacted local markets, with reports of a sharp drop in raw shea nut prices following the initial export ban, affecting rural farmers and collectors who depend on the trade for income.

Nigeria joins other West African countries such as Burkina Faso, Mali, Côte d’Ivoire, Togo, and Ghana, which have also introduced restrictions or phased bans on raw shea exports in recent years to boost local processing.

At the conference, Nigeria also gained recognition within the global shea industry, with a Nigerian appointed as Chair of the Global Shea Alliance, marking a significant leadership milestone for the country.

The government says the reforms are part of a broader strategy to expand agro-industrial development, create jobs, and ensure that Nigeria captures more value from its natural resources rather than exporting them in raw form.