Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, has expressed strong support for President Bola Tinubu’s decision to ban the export of raw shea nuts, describing it as a move that will boost local production and strengthen Nigeria’s shea value chain.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the governor said the directive comes at a critical time as Kwara State is set to commission its 50-tonne shea butter processing factory in Kaiama, the second largest in the country and the biggest owned by a state government.
AbdulRazaq noted that the factory is one of his administration’s flagship economic projects, designed to stimulate growth in Kwara North by creating jobs and empowering women farmers and pickers engaged in shea production.
“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 the community,” the governor said. “This project exemplifies backward and forward integration as it combines raw material sourcing, processing, and market access in one locality.”
He added that the presidential directive would not only spur production and improve quality but also generate jobs across the value chain.
Kwara and Niger states remain the country’s shea belt, with Kwara North alone home to over 250,000 producing trees spread across 6,000 hectares of land.
President Tinubu, on August 26, announced a temporary six-month ban on the export of raw shea nuts, a measure aimed at curbing informal trade, boosting local processing, and positioning Nigeria’s shea industry to generate up to $300 million annually in the short term.
