Why we banned export of raw shea nut – Minister

2 months ago 24

Despite producing astir two-fifths of planetary shea nuts, Nigeria earns little than 1 per cent successful the $6.5 cardinal market, Nigeria’s Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari, has said.

Mr Kyari disclosed this portion speaking astatine the Africa Food Systems Forum (#AFSForum2025) successful Dakar, Senegal, connected Wednesday.

This move, helium said, aims to make agrarian jobs, empower women, and found Nigeria arsenic a large subordinate successful the refined shea products market.

“President Tinubu highlighted that contempt Nigeria producing astir two-fifths of planetary shea, the state earns little than 1 per cent of the $6.5 cardinal market. We are committed to reversing that imbalance.

“By banning earthy shea seed exports and steering investments toward section processing, we purpose to alteration our shea sector, creating agrarian jobs, empowering women and anchoring Nigeria firmly successful the refined shea products market,” Mr Kyari said.

Last week Tuesday, President Bola Tinubu approved a 6-month impermanent prohibition connected the export of earthy shea seed to curb informal trade, boost section processing, support and turn Nigeria’s shea industry.

Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari, with different participants astatine the Africa Food Systems Forum (#AFSForum2025) successful Dakar, Senegal, connected Wednesday (CREDIT: Mary Izuaka)

The ban, which is with contiguous effect, is taxable to reappraisal connected expiration and specifically aimed astatine boosting Nigeria’s shea worth concatenation to make astir $300 cardinal annually successful the abbreviated term.

Vice President Kashim Shettima, who announced the president’s directive during a multi-stakeholder gathering astatine the Presidential Villa, astatine the time, called connected the Federal Ministry of Finance and different applicable authorities agencies to fast-track enforcement.

Speaking further connected the directive, the vice president said the determination was not “an anti-trade argumentation but a pro-value summation argumentation designed to unafraid earthy materials for our processing factories and enabling industries tally astatine afloat capableness thereby boosting agrarian income and jobs for our people.”

Shea seed is grown connected a histrion of the household Sapotaceae. The shea effect consists of a thin, tart, nutritious pulp that surrounds a comparatively large, oil-rich seed.

Shea nuts are processed into assorted products, including shea food and shea oil, done respective techniques. These methods alteration depending connected the intended usage and marketplace requirements.

According to Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), Africa produces astir 1,760,600 tonnes of earthy shea nuts annually.