Govt to ban raw shea nut exports by 2026

The government is set to implement a phased ban on the export of raw shea nuts by 2026 as part of a broader initiative to enhance value addition within Ghana’s shea industry.

This was revealed by the Director of Presidential Initiatives on Agriculture and Agribusiness, Dr. Peter Boamah Otokunor, at the official press launch of the 2025 World Shea Expo.

He noted that the policy is designed to promote local processing, increase export revenues, and strengthen Ghana’s agro-industrial base.

“The Mahama-led administration is taking bold policy steps to correct structural imbalances in the sector. By 2026, the government will implement a phased ban on the export of raw shea nuts. Ghana must move from being a raw material exporter to a nation of value-added exports,” he said.

Dr. Otokunor emphasized that the policy shift would give local processors the opportunity to grow and compete globally.

“This ban will allow local processors to expand, build capacity and build export-ready brands that capture higher earnings in the international market. The shea tree, which takes about twenty years to mature, is not a renewable firewood source. They are a strategic national resource.”

As part of the government’s strategy to boost domestic processing capacity, Dr. Otokunor also announced the rehabilitation of the Buipe Shea Processing Factory.

“Once a key industrial asset for northern Ghana, the factory was neglected for years. Today, rehabilitation efforts are underway to revamp its operations. When fully operational, it will have the capacity to process over 60 metric tonnes of shea nuts annually and can peak at 180,000 metric tonnes under a 24-hour operation.

“It can create 300 to 1,000 direct jobs and more than 10,000 indirect jobs. This has the potential to anchor a network of smallholder cooperatives across the five regions,” he added.

The World Shea Expo 2025 is expected to bring together industry players, policymakers, and investors to explore opportunities in Ghana’s growing shea sector.

LINK: https://citinewsroom.com/2025/07/govt-to-ban-raw-shea-nut-exports-by-2026/