BROOKLYN — A wave of shea nut export bans across West Africa is triggering supply shocks for U.S. importers and small businesses, with Brooklyn entrepreneurs bracing for steep costs. Nigeria imposed a six-month embargo in August, joining several other shea producer countries planning restrictions by 2026, reports the Brooklyn Paper .

Brooklyn Herborium, which sources shea from a women’s collective in Ghana, set to impose an export ban by next year, says tariffs and limited supply are driving up production costs. Analysts warn Black women and people of color, many of whom rely on shea products, may feel the sharpest impact.

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