• Shea producers ask government for 90-day delay on export ban.
• Existing contracts worth billions of nairas at risk from sudden halt.
• Sector warns of illegal trade if Nigeria lags behind regional policies.

The National Shea Products Association of Nigeria (NASPAN) is urging the government to grant a 90-day grace period before enforcing the planned ban on shea nut exports. The request, reported by local daily Independent on September 6, was made by NASPAN president Mohammed Kotagora.

According to the association, such a delay would give traders and collectors time to fulfill existing export contracts valued at several billion nairas. Kotagora said the sudden announcement has created serious disruptions for collectors. Those with legally binding contracts signed before the policy change should be allowed to complete them under a regulated framework.

The government’s goal is to push the industry toward local processing, but NASPAN stressed that the transition must not jeopardize producer incomes. To support the policy shift, the group also recommended creating a Shea Marketing Board to regulate prices, offering subsidies to processors, enacting a National Shea Council law to structure the sector, tightening border controls to curb smuggling, and including shea in climate management programs due to its ecological value.

Nigeria remains behind other major producers such as Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, and Mali in price regulation and sector organization. Since 2024, six of the world’s seven largest shea producers in West Africa, including Mali and Côte d’Ivoire, have suspended nut exports to encourage local processing and capture more value. Without coordinated measures, wide variations in raw nut prices could fuel illegal trade across borders.