By Abubakar Yunusa
President Bola Tinubu has directed a temporary ban on the export of raw shea nuts.
Abubakar Kyari, the minister for agriculture and food security, announced the ban on Tuesday.
Kyari said the ban takes effect immediately and the measure aims to promote local processing and add value within the country.
The minister said the measure reflects a broader strategy seen in the West African region to strengthen the agro-industrial base and increase export revenues by focusing on processed rather than raw products.
According to Kyari, the step aligns with similar efforts in other African countries such as Ghana and Burkina Faso, where phased or indefinite bans on raw shea nut exports have been implemented to boost domestic processing capacity and create jobs in the industry.
