Kwara Applauds Ban on Raw Shea Butter Export, Set to Launch Nigeria’s Second Largest Processing Plant

K Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has welcomed President Bola Tinubu’s directive banning the exportation of raw shea butter, saying the step will strengthen Nigeria’s local value chain and create more opportunities for industrial growth.

The Governor noted that the presidential directive comes at a strategic time, as Kwara is set to commission its 50-tonne shea processing factory in Kaiama — the second largest in Nigeria and the biggest owned by a state government.

Governor AbdulRazaq, in a statement on Tuesday, said the factory is a major economic project designed to stimulate activities in Kwara North, with the capacity to employ several local workers, including women farmers and shea nut pickers.

“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 Kaiama,” the Governor said.

He added that the Kaiama project represents a model of backward and forward integration, combining raw material sourcing, processing, and market access within one locality, while also positioning Kwara as a hub for shea-based products.

The Governor further explained that the ban on raw shea exports would improve quality standards, encourage domestic processing, and attract investments that will boost the competitiveness of Nigeria’s shea industry in global markets.

Kwara and Niger States are recognized as the hearts of shea nut production in Nigeria, with Kwara North alone boasting over 250,000 naturally producing trees spread across 6,000 hectares of land.

The Kaiama shea butter factory, once operational, is expected to anchor the region’s economic growth, empower rural communities, and contribute significantly to Nigeria’s non-oil export drive.