Chukwu Obinna 
ABUJA, Nigeria – President Bola Tinubu extends Nigeria’s ban on exporting raw shea nuts for another 12 months, from February 26, 2026, to February 25, 2027, to force local processing and boost earnings from shea butter.
The presidency on Wednesday says the move aligns with Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, aimed at shifting Nigeria away from exporting unprocessed commodities. Officials note that processed shea butter sells for 10 to 20 times the price of raw nuts on global markets.
In a statement, presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga says Tinubu orders the ministers overseeing industry, trade and investment to develop a unified national framework for the entire shea value chain. Existing waivers allowing raw exports are withdrawn, while surplus stock must pass through an export framework managed by the Nigerian Commodity Exchange.
The president also directs the finance ministry to establish a support window for a Livelihood Finance Mechanism to strengthen production and processing in shea-growing communities.
Shea nuts, harvested across Nigeria’s savanna belt, are processed into butter widely used in cosmetics and cooking oils. Authorities believe domestic refining will create jobs, raise export earnings and deepen industrial capacity.
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Koko Maxwella 
Hussaini Ibrahim 