Nigeria has announced a six-month ban on the export of raw shea nuts, a key ingredient in many beauty creams, in a bid to make the trade more lucrative and boost the local industry.
The country is the world’s largest producer of shea nuts, harvesting around 350,000 tonnes annually, yet it only accounts for 1% of the $6.5 billion global market.
Vice-President Kashim Shettima described this situation as “unacceptable” and stated that the temporary ban would enable Nigeria to transition from exporting raw nuts to becoming a global supplier of refined shea products.
The move aims to increase Nigeria’s earnings from shea nuts from $65 million to $300 million annually and promote industrialization, rural transformation, and gender empowerment.
However, some stakeholders have raised concerns that the ban could impact the livelihoods of millions of rural women who depend on the shea industry for income.
