Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has welcomed the decision of President Bola Tinubu to ban the exportation of raw shea butter, describing it as a move that will boost production and strengthen the local value chain of the crop.
The presidential directive comes as Kwara prepares to launch a 50-tonne shea processing factory in Kaiama, which will be the second largest in the country and the biggest owned by a state government. The new factory is one of the major economic projects being implemented under Governor AbdulRazaq.
Speaking on the development, the Governor said the policy would encourage growth in local production, improve the quality of shea butter, and create jobs across the value chain. He explained that the Kaiama facility is designed to stimulate economic activities in Kwara North and employ several local workers, especially women farmers and pickers who are actively involved in the sector.
“Locating the factory within Kaiama puts the people at the centre of local shea production, ensures local ownership of benefits, such as job creation, reduced post harvest losses, and value retention in Kaiama,” AbdulRazaq said in a statement on Tuesday.
He added that, “This project exemplifies backward and forward integration as it combines raw material sourcing, processing, and market access in one locality.”
Kwara and Niger States are widely recognised as the heartlands of shea nut trees in Nigeria. Kwara North alone accounts for over 250,000 naturally growing and producing trees spread across 6,000 hectares of land, making it a strategic hub for shea butter production and related economic activities.