To tap fully into the global shea market valued at over $6.5 billion, the Federal Government has declared that its policy to restrict the export of raw shea nuts is a deliberate course of action, as the nation scales efforts to process more of what it produces and retain greater value within the country.
Speaking at the 18th Global Shea Alliance Annual Conference in Accra recently, Ghana, the Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, Senator John Enoh, reaffirmed Nigeria’s resolve to move beyond raw material exports and become a global hub for shea processing and innovation.
Senator Enoh, who joined the Vice President of Ghana, Jane Opoku-Agyemang, alongside stakeholders from across Africa and beyond, noted that Nigeria’s strategic policy shift is already yielding tangible results.
The Federal Government initially banned the export of raw shea nuts in August 2025 for six months before extending the restriction for another year in February 2026, as part of efforts to encourage local processing and deepen value addition within the sector.
