Nigeria is doubling down on its push for value-added agriculture as President Bola Tinubu extends the ban on exporting raw shea nuts for another year. The move is designed to boost domestic processing, strengthen rural livelihoods, and help the country capture more value from a global shea market it largely supplies but barely profits from. Although Nigeria produces nearly 40% of the world’s shea, it earns just a fraction of the $6.5 billion industry—something officials say must change. New measures will centralize exports, withdraw waivers, and expand financing for processors. Although critics caution that farmers may face short-term difficulties, the government insists the policy will transform the sector and unlock far greater long-term gains.
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