Nigeria has implemented a six-month ban on the export of raw shea nuts, a key ingredient in many beauty products. This decision is intended to enhance economic benefits for the country, as Nigeria currently produces nearly 40% of the world’s shea nut crop but only captures 1% of the $6.5 billion global market for shea butter. Vice-President Kashim Shettima described this situation as a concern, as the country aims to transition from exporting raw nuts to becoming a major global supplier of refined shea products.
The extraction process for shea butter involves crushing, roasting, and boiling the harvested nuts, which are also used in the food industry, including for items such as chocolate and ice cream, as well as pharmaceuticals. Shea trees grow in a belt across West and East Africa, where small-scale farmers, many of whom are women, cultivate these trees.
Shettima emphasized that the ban is part of broader goals, such as industrialization, rural transformation, and gender empowerment, which could expand Nigeria’s presence in global trade. The vice-president projected that annual earnings from shea nuts could increase from $65 million to $300 million as a result of this initiative.
Nigeria’s Agriculture Minister, Abubakar Kyari, noted that the country produces about 350,000 tonnes of shea nuts annually, with a significant portion, nearly 25%, lost to unregulated informal trade. Agriculture expert Dr. Ahmed Ismail highlighted that the majority of this crop originates from villages in central Nigeria, where farmers often lack awareness of the nuts’ true market value and face exploitation by traders.
Dr. Ismail suggested that the ban is a necessary step, but it should coincide with improved regulations to benefit local farmers and provide greater economic opportunities, potentially creating more jobs through local refining processes.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c9qy98gp474o?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss