The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, has said the recent temporary ban of raw shea exports by President Bola Tinubu, is to position the country as a global leader in the shea economy. Idris said this at the 20th Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), Northern Zonal Accountants’ Conference in Minna, Niger.

This is contained in a statement issued by the minister’s Special Assistant on Media, Malam Rabiu Ibrahim, issued yesterday in Abuja. Idris was represented at the event by the Director-General of the Voice of Nigeria, Mallam Jibrin Baba Ndace.

According to him, President Tinubu’s recent temporary suspension of raw shea exports is not a mere policy experiment, but a bold and forward-looking measure aimed at unlocking the full potential of our rural economy.

“By insisting that more of our shea be processed locally, the president is ensuring that Nigeria, which accounts for over 50 per cent of the world’s shea production, does not remain a supplier of raw materials, but becomes a global leader in high-value shea products.

“Niger State, the hub of shea production in Nigeria, stands to benefit tremendously from this transformative initiative. “This decisive step will stimulate local investment, drive technology transfer and accelerate the development of processing capacity.

“It will also bring about the creation of quality jobs for our youth and women in rural communities, boost foreign exchange earnings and deepen Nigeria’s participation in the global value chains,” he said.