The Nigerian government’s recent ban on the exportation of raw shea butter has been applauded by First Lady Oluremi Tinubu as a timely intervention that will empower local processors and create new opportunities in the agricultural value chain. According to Mrs. Tinubu, this move is a major step towards strengthening Nigeria’s agro-processing sector, particularly for women who dominate the industry.
Speaking at the closing of a three-day National Workshop on Agro-Value-Chain Capacity Building for Women Farmers in Abuja, Mrs. Tinubu, represented by Nana Shettima, wife of the Vice President, noted that women account for over 95 percent of small-scale shea butter processors across Nigeria. The ban is expected to reduce exploitation of raw products while stimulating domestic value addition.
The workshop, jointly organized by the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, aimed to equip women farmers with modern skills, knowledge, and access to global markets. Participants were urged to leverage emerging opportunities in the agro-value chain to transform their livelihoods and contribute to economic growth.
Minister of Women Affairs Imaan Suleiman-Ibrahim described the gathering as a turning point for Nigerian women in agriculture, emphasizing that the story of Nigeria’s agriculture is inseparable from the story of its women. She highlighted the paradox of Nigeria’s agricultural landscape, where women constitute nearly 70 percent of the labor force but remain under-represented in land ownership, credit access, mechanization, and leadership roles.
Granting women equal access to resources could raise yields by 20-30 percent, enough to secure food for millions more Nigerians, according to the minister. She unveiled the Women Agro Value Expansion program, which targets 10 million women across Nigeria, aiming to equip them with climate-smart technologies, affordable financing, agri-business skills, and access to markets.
Participants at the workshop commended the federal government for the initiative, with some describing the training as life-changing. They encouraged other women to embrace agriculture and shed the stereotype of farming as “dirty work.” The program’s focus on empowering women in agriculture is expected to have a significant impact on Nigeria’s food security and economic growth.
