How to Export Shea Butter From Ghana and Nigeria (2026 Guide)

If you want to export shea butter from Ghana or Nigeria, the first thing to understand is that the rules are moving fast. Both governments want more shea processed at home instead of raw nuts leaving the country, and that policy shapes who can export what. This guide walks through the product choices (raw nuts, unrefined butter, refined butter), the current policy position as of October 2026, standards and packaging, and the destination-market rules a buyer will ask you about. Where we could not confirm a rule from an official page, we say so rather than guess.

Shea nuts vs shea butter: what can you actually export?

This is the question that matters most right now, and the answer differs by country and by product.

• Nigeria, raw shea nuts: Press reports on the announcement by the Presidency in late February 2026 say President Tinubu approved a one-year ban on exports of raw shea nuts, running from 26 February 2026 to 25 February 2027. The same reports say earlier waivers allowing direct exports of raw nuts were withdrawn, and that any surplus raw nuts may only be exported through the NCX framework. This extended a six-month restriction first announced in August 2025.
• Nigeria, shea butter: The reports we read describe the ban as covering raw nuts and encourage local processing into butter. They do not say whether butter exports face any extra conditions, so confirm directly with the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) before you contract.
• Ghana: A June 2026 trade-press report describes a phased restriction on raw shea nut exports and says Ghana appears to be moving toward a complete ban before the end of 2026, but also notes that no official text had confirmed this. Treat the position as unsettled and check with the Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA) or the relevant ministry before you plan any raw-nut shipment.

The practical lesson: a business plan built on exporting raw nuts is risky in both countries. Butter, and products made from butter, are where policy is pointing.

Raw, unrefined and refined shea butter: how buyers think about grades

NEPC's shea nut profile (dated November 2023) describes shea butter in several quality tiers: Grade A, described as the highest quality, smooth and yellow; Grade B, a lower-quality, grainier and darker butter; plus the processing categories unrefined (no chemicals used), refined (impurities removed) and ultra refined (the most processed). NEPC lists poor storage, poor butter quality and outdated processing technology among the sector's quality problems.

In plain terms, buyers usually specify:

• Unrefined (raw) butter: kept close to its natural state, with its natural colour and scent. Popular with natural-cosmetics brands.
• Refined butter: filtered and processed for a more neutral colour and smell, used where consistency matters in manufacturing.

Do not copy a quality grade from a competitor's website. Ask your buyer for their written specification (colour, odour, moisture, free fatty acids and so on) and test each batch against it in a recognised laboratory before you ship.

Shea butter export standards and certification

There is an international reference point for unrefined shea butter: Codex Alimentarius has a Regional Standard for Unrefined Shea Butter (Africa), CXS 325R-2017. The FAO's Codex pages note it was established in 2017 and that Burkina Faso later aligned national certification with it. We could not open the full text of the standard in this research, so we are not quoting its numerical limits here; get a copy from the Codex site and ask your buyer whether they reference it.

In Ghana, exporter profiles on the GEPA Buyer Portal have a dedicated certifications section. One shea exporter profile we reviewed lists the Ghana Standards Authority, GEPA and the Food and Drugs Authority among its certifying bodies. That is a useful hint about who to speak to, not a checklist of what every exporter needs: confirm requirements for your own product with each agency. In Nigeria, start with NEPC, which publishes product profiles and supports exporters, and ask your buyer what product registration they need on their side.

Cosmetics vs food use: what we could and could not confirm

Shea butter ends up in two very different regulatory worlds. We verified one destination rule that applies when shea butter goes into cosmetics sold in the EU: the European Commission's page on the Cosmetic Products Notification Portal explains that, under Article 13 of Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009, the Responsible Person (and in some cases distributors) must notify cosmetic products through the portal. In practice, that means your EU buyer or brand owner carries the cosmetic-product obligations, and you should expect them to ask for batch documentation and ingredient information.

We could not verify, from an official page, the specific rules for importing shea butter as a food ingredient into any destination, so we have left food-use requirements out of this guide. If your buyer is a food manufacturer, ask them for their written import and labelling requirements and confirm them with the food authority in the importing country.

Packaging, labelling and shipping shea butter

NEPC's profile recommends airtight containers (plastic containers, jars or tins) with proper labelling, packed into cartons or boxes for transport. Beyond that, packaging is mostly set by your buyer's contract. Good habits:

• Use clean, food-grade, sealed containers so the butter does not pick up odours or moisture.
• Label every pack with product name, grade or type, batch number, production date and net weight, and keep batch records.
• Send a pre-shipment sample from the same batch and keep a retained sample, so any quality dispute can be settled against evidence.
• Agree the trade term (for example FOB or CIF) in writing. See our guide to Incoterms for what each term makes you responsible for.

Who buys, and how to find and vet buyers

NEPC's profile says China is the leading importer of shea butter, and lists the Netherlands and Germany among the markets with the greatest export potential for Nigeria. It also notes that most Nigerian shea butter is consumed locally, with undocumented cross-border trade with Benin, Togo and Ghana, so a formal export business can differentiate itself through documentation and consistent quality.

Before you ship to any new buyer, check their company registration, ask for trade references, and agree payment terms that protect you. Our guides on letters of credit, bank transfers and escrow and on exporting from Nigeria cover the mechanics.

Frequently asked questions

Can I export raw shea nuts from Nigeria in 2026? Press reports say a one-year ban on raw shea nut exports runs from 26 February 2026 to 25 February 2027, with waivers withdrawn and surplus nuts routed through the NCX framework. Confirm the current position with NEPC before any shipment.

Is there a shea nut export ban in Ghana? A June 2026 report describes a phased restriction and a possible full ban before the end of 2026, but said no official text had confirmed it. Check with GEPA before you contract.

What is the best grade of shea butter to export? There is no single best grade. Cosmetic brands often ask for unrefined butter, while some manufacturers prefer refined. Work from your buyer's written specification and test every batch.

Do I need a licence to export shea butter? Requirements depend on your country, your company type and your product. We could not confirm one definitive licence list from an official page, so ask NEPC (Nigeria) or GEPA (Ghana) and your clearing agent what applies to you.

Getting started

Rules change, so confirm every requirement with NEPC, GEPA or your clearing agent before shipping. Then put your product in front of buyers: create a free Comilmart account and list your shea butter. You can list before completing verified supplier (KYS) checks, and verified status builds buyer trust when you are ready. Overseas buyers can register and send requests for quotation at /request-quotation. Browse similar products in the food and agro category and see the verified supplier directory for how other sellers present themselves. For the wider picture, read our farmers' guide to exporting agricultural products from Africa. For official background, see the NEPC shea nut profile, the GEPA Buyer Portal exporter profile format and the European Commission's cosmetic product notification portal page.