(3 Minutes Read)
The country is one of the world’s biggest producers, responsible for nearly 40% of the annual crop. But despite this, Nigeria contributes just 1% of the USD 6.5 billion global shea market since most of its nuts are shipped out without being processed.
Nigeria has banned the export of raw shea nuts for six months in a bid to grow its local shea butter industry and capture more value from the global market.
The country is one of the world’s biggest producers, responsible for nearly 40% of the annual crop. But despite this, Nigeria contributes just 1% of the $6.5 billion global shea market since most of its nuts are shipped out without being processed.
Vice President Kashim Shettima, announcing the ban in Abuja, called the situation “unacceptable.” He said the goal is to transform Nigeria from a supplier of raw nuts into a global hub for refined shea products used in cosmetics, food, and pharmaceuticals.
“Shea butter, extracted from the fruit of the shea tree, is widely used in beauty products as well as in making chocolate, ice cream, and some medicines. The trees grow naturally across the “shea belt” of Africa, stretching from West to East, and are often harvested by small-scale farmers, especially women. Nigeria produces about 350,000 tonnes of shea nuts each year, but nearly a quarter of it is lost to informal, unregulated cross-border trade.
Read Also:
Experts say the ban could bring big benefits if properly managed. Dr Ahmed Ismail of the Federal University of Minna said poor farmers often sell their harvests cheaply to middlemen who exploit the lack of regulation.
