The National Association of Shea Products of Nigeria (NASPAN) has applauded the Federal Government for its decision to temporarily ban the exportation of raw shea nuts, describing it as a strategic move to reposition the country as a global leader in the shea industry.
Speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Friday, NASPAN President, Mohammed Ahmed Kontagora, noted that although the announcement came during the peak of the trading season, the policy was still a welcome development. He said the step would strengthen local processing, curb informal trade, create jobs, and drive rural economic growth.
Kontagora explained that the ban affects only the exportation of shea nuts or kernels, not shea butter. He stressed that the real value addition comes when kernels are processed into butter. “This is a timely intervention to protect the sector,” he stated, while commending President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima for the policy. He added that the measure would help stabilize local prices, formalize trading, and allow the assessment of processing capacity in the country.
The NASPAN president urged the government to adopt further measures to secure long-term growth for the industry. He recommended the establishment of a Shea Marketing Board, the provision of grants and equipment for processors, the passage of the National Council on Shea Bill, and the inclusion of shea trees in climate management programs.
He also highlighted NASPAN’s Shea Parkland Restoration and Afforestation Programme (SPARE), which seeks to plant 10 million shea trees across Nigeria in the next decade.
However, Kontagora appealed for a 90-day grace period for aggregators who had already purchased large volumes of shea nuts valued at billions of naira before the policy was announced. He said this would help them meet existing contractual obligations under regulated conditions.
He further called for a stakeholder meeting with government to harmonize the details of the ban, suggesting that the forthcoming NASPAN Biennial Shea Conference in February 2026 could serve as a review point.
Kontagora emphasized that proper engagement is necessary to keep both producers and processors motivated to contribute to Nigeria’s economic growth rather than discouraged by sudden policy changes.