Nigerian Young Farmers Network Applauds Shea Nut Export Ban, Calls For Extension

The recent six-month ban on the exportation of shea nuts by the Federal Government has been met with enthusiastic support from the Nigerian Young Farmers Network (NYFN), but the organisation is urging for an extension to maximise the policy’s impact.

Promise Amahah, founder and National Coordinator of both the Nigerian Agricultural Colleges and Institutions Network (NACIN) and the NYFN, commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for what he termed “an audacious step in the right direction.”

Shea butter

Amahah believes the ban will stimulate local production, modernisation, and empowerment along the shea nut value chain, particularly benefiting the largely female shea nut pickers who are often overlooked.

“We are happy with the temporary ban on the export of Shea nuts,” Amahah stated. “This will help in creating more awareness, in creating the enabling environment for them, it will attract more indigenisation and provide more visibility.”

While acknowledging Nigeria’s position as the largest producer of shea nuts globally, accounting for about 40% of global production, Amahah highlighted the country’s disproportionately small share of the $6.5 billion global market, a mere 1%.

He emphasised the need to transform Nigeria from an exporter of raw shea nuts to a supplier of refined shea butter, oil, and other derivatives.

“The country is losing by being ‘an outlier’ when viewed against the fact that our neighbours… have already imposed restrictions to protect their farmers,” Amahah pointed out, referencing Benin Republic, Togo, Ghana, Burkina Faso, and Mali.

However, Amahah argues that the initial six-month timeframe is insufficient to achieve the desired transformation.

Drawing parallels with China’s decades-long commitment to developing its local production capabilities, he called for a review and extension of the ban.

“For a country like China to get its production right, they had to go through almost a 40-year hiatus and shut out anything from coming into China and develop their local capability,” Amahah explained.

“So, for such a critical component for foreign revenue generation for a country like Nigeria, we think the six months ban is not a long time. It has to be reviewed.”

He stressed the need to create an enabling environment, provide necessary equipment and high-yield inputs, and conduct capacity building and training to empower local farmers and equip them with global best agricultural practices.

Amahah cautioned that without proper coordination, the ban could negatively impact the very people it aims to help, particularly the women who rely on the export value chain for their livelihoods.

“If not properly coordinated, everyone loses including the women who pick the nuts because they largely depend on inflow from exporters or the export value chain to earn their daily wage,” he warned.

Amahah advocated for government engagement with existing export contract holders to mitigate potential breaches and associated penalties.

He also called for greater emphasis on growing youth-led cottage industries for shea processing, which he believes will unlock jobs, enhance the local economy, and increase Internally Generated Revenue.

Further, he emphasised the role of agricultural colleges and institutions in providing the necessary expertise and research to adapt and enhance shea nut production.

He urged for curriculum updates to prioritise practical applications and empower graduates to pursue careers in farming.

“We need to rejig our agricultural policies by looking into the institutions that can turn around not only the food crops but the yields with long term plans for effectiveness,” Amahah concluded.

The Nigerian Young Farmers Network is actively working through its “NYFN” subsidiary, modeled after the UN Women structure, to advocate for policies that empower women within the shea value chain across all state chapters.