President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved a one-year extension of the ban on the export of raw shea nuts, a policy aimed at boosting local processing capacity and deepening value addition within Nigeria’s agricultural sector, according to the presidency.

The ban will remain in effect from February 26, 2026 to February 25, 2027, the statement by Bayo Onanuga, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, said on Wednesday. It follows the federal government’s earlier initiative to curb raw exports and encourage the growth of domestic industries involved in processing shea products.

Tinubu’s extension of the restriction forms part of the Renewed Hope Agenda and is designed to strengthen Nigeria’s position in the global shea value chain by promoting the production and export of higher-value goods such as refined shea butter rather than unprocessed nuts. Officials said processed products can fetch significantly higher earnings compared with raw exports, which have traditionally dominated the industry.

The president also authorised the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment and the Presidential Food Security Coordination Unit (PFSCU) to coordinate a national framework to drive implementation of the policy. This framework is expected to align industrialisation, trade and investment priorities across the shea nut sector.

Under the new directive all existing waivers that previously allowed direct export of raw shea nuts were withdrawn. Any excess supply of raw nuts must now be exported exclusively through a regulated platform developed by the Nigerian Commodity Exchange (NCX) in line with approved guidelines.

In addition, the president directed the Federal Ministry of Finance to facilitate access to a dedicated NESS Support Window to help strengthen production and processing capacity within the sector. Government officials said the extension aims to create jobs improve livelihoods in shea-producing communities and enhance Nigeria’s non-oil export earnings.