Nigeria bans raw shea nut exports to boost local industry

Nigeria has banned the export of raw shea nuts for six months in a bid to grow its local shea butter industry and capture more value from the global market.

The country is one of the world’s biggest producers, responsible for nearly 40% of the annual crop. But despite this, Nigeria makes up just 1% of the $6.5 billion global shea market because most of its nuts are shipped out without being processed.

Vice President Kashim Shettima,…