This study explored the gamma-ray shielding performance of various fruit-nut shells and husk ashes like cashew-nut shell ash (CSNSA), coconut shell ash (CCNSA), palm-kernel-nut shell ash (PKNSA), melon-husk ash (MHA), rice-husk ash (RHA), peanut shell ash (PNSA), and deleb-palm-nut shell ash (DPNSA) within the energy range of 0.015–0.284 MeV. The samples were gathered, washed, dried at room temperature, and burnt to ashes at 200 °C for 30 min using a muffle furnace. The ashes' densities were calculated as mass/volumes of the samples. The samples were analyzed for oxide composition using an energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence analyzer (ARL-QUANT'X-EDXRF) with 1–2 % uncertainty and 40 keV resolution. The oxide compositions and densities were inputted in Phy-X/PSD to obtain the gamma-ray shielding parameters. The results showed that sample CCNSA at the energy of 0.015 MeV displayed the highest MAC value of 2001.23 cm2/g and LAC value of 6100.99 cm−1, representing high shielding performance, while sample RHA exhibited the least MAC and LAC values, confirming its low shielding performance. This indicated that, among all the examined samples, CCNSA is characterized with the superior shielding features. Therefore, researchers are encouraged to incorporate CCNSA into either concrete or glass samples and to test its effect on their shielding performance in order to improve achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.