Brazil Opens Market for Nigerian Shea Butter and More

Brazil has officially opened its market to Nigerian exports of shea butter, hibiscus, and sesame, marking a significant milestone in agricultural trade relations. This announcement was made by Vice President Kashim Shettima during a high-level meeting in Abuja, following President Bola Tinubu's state visit to Brazil in August.

The agreement aims to implement a bilateral agricultural and livestock partnership. Shettima noted that this development is the first tangible outcome of the dialogue initiated during the state visit.

The Brazilian delegation, led by Minister of Agriculture and Livestock André Carlo Alva de Paula Filho, confirmed that Nigeria is in the final stages of preparing phytosanitary certifications necessary for these exports. The Nigerian government plans to scale its shea processing to potentially earn $300 million in the near term, with a growth target of $9 billion by 2030.

Additionally, the existing six-month ban on raw shea nut exports will remain in place until February 2027, as part of efforts to enhance domestic processing capabilities.