Abuja, Nigeria – E be like say Nigeria don decide say enough na enough as dem don announce six-month ban on the export of raw shea nuts what dey make many beauty creams wey fine pass fine. Na to turn the trade wey dey suffer into something wey go fatten the pocket of local farmers and boost we economy.
Vice-President Kashim Shettima no fit hide him mind as he talk say this move dey necessary, especially since Nigeria dey produce almost 40 percent of the world’s annual shea crop, but na only 1 percent we dey use chop for the $6.5 billion market. E call am ‘unacceptable’ – and who go argue that one? (E mean say na like 5 kobo we get for big soup wey suppose sweet pass).
Shea nuts harvest na serious work wey involve plenty crushing, roasting, and boiling. After all that wahala, we go get the shea butter wey people dey use for cosmetics and even food wey sweet like chocolate! Shea tree dey grow from West to East Africa, and most of the work na women dey handle. So, e dey super important to empower these women and make dem benefit from wetin dem dey produce.
As Shettima talk, this ban ‘na about industrialisation, rural transformation, gender empowerment, and expanding Nigeria’s global trade footprint.’ (Bros really get plenty big grammar) Na him hope say with this ban, Nigeria fit increase earnings from shea nuts from $65 million to $300 million annually. E get level!
Minister for Agriculture, Abubakar Kyari, don talk say we dey produce 350,000 tonnes of this crop every year, but almost 25 percent dey waka go abroad as unregulated trade. E fit shock you to hear say many farmers no even sabi how valuable shea nuts be, so dem just dey sell am cheap to businessmen wey don get eyes for profits.
Dr. Ahmed Ismail wey dey follow agriculture matter for Federal University of Minna talk say plenty poor farmers dey suffer because dem no fit regulate wetin dey happen for dem villages. E go village one day, see shea nuts piles like say na beans wey dey wait for market, and dem just dey sell am for small money. This ban go make more jobs for local people, he say, and the government go fit make extra money through taxes.
Some experts dey talk say without proper investment and strategy, this ban go just be like putting bandage for big wound. Ikemesit Effiong wey dey run risk advisory for Lagos talk say e no sure if this ban go really hold local production down for Nigerian factories.
But for now, as our leaders dey plan am, e go good make sure say we sabi wetin we dey make and cash in full. Shea nuts don suffer enough for the hands of greedy traders. So make we sit down watch as this ban take unfold. Na we go gain from wetin we dey produce!
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