The National Association of Shea Products of Nigeria (NASPAN) has appealed to the Federal Government to grant a 90-day grace period following its recent ban on the export of raw shea nuts.
ASHENEWS recalls that the Nigerian government, on August 26, 2025, issued a directive for a temporary ban on the export of raw Shea Nuts, effective immediately. It said the decision aimed to regulate the current export activities and possibly enhance local processing and value addition within the country.
The temporary ban is seen as part of broader efforts to boost local industries, safeguard critical agricultural resources, and promote economic growth by encouraging the processing of raw materials before export.
But the association said the sudden enforcement of the ban, announced on August 26, has left traders and aggregators stranded with huge stocks of shea nuts worth billions of naira, putting them at risk of financial losses and spoilage.
NASPAN President, Mohammed Kontagora, while addressing journalists, explained that although members of the association support the government’s objective of promoting local value addition and boosting rural economies, the abrupt implementation disrupted existing trade arrangements and contractual obligations.
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He noted that many traders had already entered into binding export contracts before the policy was announced, and urged the government to allow them to complete such transactions under regulated conditions.
Kontagora, however, expressed optimism that the policy could mark a turning point for the Nigerian shea industry. He projected that with proper implementation, Nigeria, which holds nearly 58 per cent of the world’s shea trees, could generate about $300 million annually from the sector in the short term.
To strengthen the policy and maximize its impact, NASPAN proposed several measures, including the establishment of a Shea Marketing Board to regulate pricing and support local processors, provision of grants to improve processing capacity, passage of the National Council on Shea Bill to create a strong governance framework, and tighter border security to curb smuggling.
The association also recommended the integration of shea into climate action and environmental conservation programmes, stressing that these steps would ensure the sustainability of the policy and the long-term growth of the industry.
