Nigeria's Shea Nuts Export Ban Divides Industry, Impacting Female Pickers and Processors

The recent export ban on raw shea nuts in Nigeria by President Bola Tinubu has sparked controversy within the non-oil export sector. While some like Ademola Adebar of Whitestep Empir Firm see it as a positive step to boost local value addition and create jobs, others, including female pickers like Airatu, are facing income losses.

The ban aims to encourage local processing and strengthen the industrial base, but it has led to immediate income drops for rural women dependent on shea nut picking.