President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has officially placed a temporary suspension on the exportation of raw shea nuts from Nigeria.

This directive was announced in a statement released on Tuesday by Mr. Stanley Nkwocha, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications (Office of the Vice President).

According to the statement, the Federal Government will no longer permit the export of raw shea nuts or unprocessed shea butter products outside the country until further notice.

The Vice President, Kashim Shettima, has already begun engaging major stakeholders and industry leaders in the agricultural and trade sectors to ensure the smooth implementation of the presidential order.

The suspension is expected to encourage local processing and industrialization within Nigeria, thereby creating more job opportunities, boosting the agricultural value chain, and enhancing Nigeria’s foreign exchange earnings through processed exports rather than raw material exportation.

Shea butter is one of Nigeria’s most valuable agricultural commodities, widely used in cosmetics, food, and pharmaceutical industries across the globe. By placing this temporary ban, the government aims to add value locally and prevent the continuous loss of revenue that comes from exporting unprocessed raw shea products.

This development highlights the administration’s ongoing commitment to promoting Nigeria’s non-oil exports, supporting agro-industrial growth, and strengthening the nation’s economy. Stakeholders and exporters are expected to comply with this directive while awaiting further guidelines from the Federal Government.