President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved a one-year extension of the ban on the export of raw shea nuts, keeping the restriction in force from February 26, 2026, to February 25, 2027.

The decision is aimed at promoting local value addition, boosting domestic processing capacity, and strengthening Nigeria’s agro-industrial sector under the administration’s economic reform agenda.

Under the directive, all existing waivers permitting the export of raw shea nuts have been withdrawn. Any excess supply is to be exported only through an approved framework supervised by the Nigerian Commodity Exchange.

The President also instructed the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment and the Presidential Food Security Coordination Unit to develop a coordinated national strategy to strengthen the shea value chain.

In addition, the Federal Ministry of Finance has been directed to provide special financial support to producers and processors to improve production and expand local processing.

Shea nuts are used to produce shea butter, a key ingredient in cosmetics, food, and pharmaceutical products. The government says the extended ban will help retain more value within the country, create jobs, and increase export earnings from processed products.