According to First Lady. Sen. Oluremi Tinubu, the recent prohibition on the export of raw shea butter is a welcome move that would strengthen local processors and open up new avenues for growth in Nigeria’s agricultural value chain.
At the conclusion of a three-day National Workshop on Agro-Value-Chain Capacity Building for Women Farmers, which took place in Abuja on Saturday, the first lady offered the compliment.
The First Lady, who was represented by the Vice President’s wife, Hajiya Nana Shettima, stated that the instruction was a major step forward for women in the agro-processing industry.
She claims that more than 95% of the nation’s small-scale shea butter processors are women.
She pointed out that the new policy will encourage domestic value addition in addition to reducing raw product exploitation.
“This decision underscores the Federal Government’s commitment to boosting local agro-processing capacity.
“By retaining production within our borders, we are empowering women to scale their businesses, improve household incomes, and contribute to national food security,” she said.
The workshop marked a turning point for Nigerian women in agriculture, according to Hajiya Imaan Suleiman-Ibrahim, Minister of Women Affairs, who spoke at the occasion.
Despite their frequent exclusion from vital resources, she emphasized that women continue to be the sector’s backbone.
“Over the past days, we have sharpened knowledge, built capacity, and deepened partnerships.
“But more importantly, we have reaffirmed an undeniable truth: Nigeria’s agricultural transformation will rise or fall on the shoulders of women,” she said.
The minister brought attention to the contradiction in Nigerian agriculture, where women make up around 70% of the workforce but are still underrepresented in leadership positions, land ownership, financing availability, and mechanization.
Giving women equitable access to resources, she emphasized, could boost yields by 20–30%, which would feed millions more Nigerians.
Suleiman-Ibrahim announced the Women Agro Value Expansion (WAVE) Program, which intends to serve 10 million women across the country.
“With the right support, our women will not only feed the nation, they will feed Africa,” she declared.
She went on to say that three significant pledges had been made under the Renewed Hope Agenda: removing structural obstacles that restrict women’s potential, advancing women from poverty to wealth, and instituting gender parity in agriculture policies and initiatives.
The project was hailed as “life-changing” by several workshop attendees.
The Country Women Association Network (KANET) was represented by Afiniki Bubmba, who stated:
“The practical sessions, especially on greenhouse construction and crop sequencing, have sparked my interest to begin a mini-greenhouse project at home.”
She dispelled the myth that farming is “dirty work” and urged other women to pursue careers in agriculture.
Aisha Burka, another participant from KANET, praised the program and said the knowledge she learned was priceless.
“Agriculture is not only a tool for food production but also a platform for leadership, wealth creation, and national transformation,” she said.
Burka went on to say that she was committed to organizing 100–200 women to take advantage of the information she had learned.
She encouraged them to begin small, even in their backyards, as farming was crucial for food security and financially lucrative.