Tinubu suspended raw shea exports to boost local processing, says minister

The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, said yesterday President Bola Tinubu suspended export of earthy shea to boost section processing.

Idris, who gave the mentation astatine the 20th Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria Northern Zonal Accountants’ Conference successful Minna, wherever helium was represented by the Director-General of the Voice of Nigeria, Mallam Jibrin Baba Ndace, said: “President Bola Tinubu’s caller impermanent suspension of earthy shea exports is not a specified argumentation experimentation but a bold and forward-looking measurement aimed astatine unlocking the afloat imaginable of our agrarian economy,” Idris said successful a connection signed by his media aide, Rabiu Ibrahim.’’

Describing the determination arsenic some “bold and strategic,” the curate said the suspension would assistance alteration Nigeria’s relation successful the planetary shea proviso chain.

“By insisting that much of our shea beryllium processed locally, the president is ensuring that Nigeria, which accounts for implicit 50 percent of the world’s shea production, does not stay a supplier of earthy materials but becomes a planetary person successful high-value shea products,” helium said.

According to the statement, Niger State, a large hub for shea accumulation successful Nigeria, is expected to beryllium 1 of the biggest beneficiaries of the argumentation shift.

“This decisive measurement volition stimulate section investment, thrust exertion transfer, and accelerate the improvement of processing capacity.

“It volition besides bring astir the instauration of prime jobs for our younker and women successful agrarian communities, boost overseas speech earnings, and deepen Nigeria’s information successful the planetary worth chains,” Idris added.

He praised the National Shea Products Association of Nigeria for supporting the caller argumentation absorption and reaffirmed the government’s committedness to creating a conducive situation for the shea manufacture to thrive.

“The Federal Government is providing the enabling situation to marque it a reality,” helium said.

The curate said the inaugural is portion of a broader economical renewal strategy nether the Tinubu administration, which focuses connected nationalist re-orientation, inclusivity, and accountability. Speaking connected the taxable of the conference, “Socio-Economic Potentials, Accountability and National Re-Orientation: Unlocking Nigeria’s Future,” Idris highlighted the captious relation of ethical enactment successful driving nationalist development.

Idris noted that accountability remains the cornerstone of each thriving society, and to unlock Nigeria’s future, citizens indispensable collectively perpetrate to doing things otherwise by “living by the close values, holding institutions accountable, and putting Nigeria archetypal successful each our actions.”

The curate besides outlined cardinal reforms nether the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda, citing improvements successful fiscal discipline, integer transformation, infrastructure expansion, and younker empowerment arsenic indicators of progress.

Projects specified arsenic the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Superhighway, the Badagry–Sokoto Superhighway, and the rehabilitation of the Eastern obstruction corridor were mentioned arsenic examples of the government’s effort to guarantee equitable infrastructure development.

On fiscal transparency, Idris said the authorities was strengthening fiscal oversight done platforms similar the Treasury Single Account and the Government Integrated Financial Management Information System.

He besides pointed to Nigeria’s betterment connected the Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index — moving from 145th successful 2023 to 140th successful 2024 — arsenic a motion of progress.

Concluding his address, the curate urged accountants and different professionals to enactment the nationalist re-orientation drive.

In August 2025, the President approved a six-month prohibition connected the export of earthy shea nuts, aiming to curb informal trade, enactment section processors, and reposition Nigeria’s shea manufacture for greater worth addition.

Announcing the directive astatine a multi-stakeholder gathering successful Abuja, Vice President Kashim Shettima explained that the impermanent measurement — which remains taxable to reappraisal — is intended to fortify the shea worth concatenation and perchance make up to $300m annually successful the abbreviated term.

“This is not an anti-trade policy; it is simply a pro-value summation policy,” helium stated. “Our nonsubjective is to guarantee section factories person capable earthy materials, run astatine afloat capacity, and make employment opportunities. Nigeria produces astir 40 percent of the world’s shea, yet captures lone 1 perc...