By: Jide Akinseye
As global demand for shea-based products continues to rise, Nigeria is positioning itself as a major force in the international shea industry through aggressive value-addition policies, local processing reforms and stronger regional trade partnerships. At the 2026 Global Shea Alliance Conference in Accra, Ghana, Nigerian stakeholders pushed for deeper investment in enterprise development, financing and sustainable industrialisation across Africa’s shea value chain. The emergence of Nigerians into key leadership positions within the Global Shea Alliance further underscored the country’s growing influence in shaping the future of the multibillion-dollar industry.
Nigeria Pushes Value Addition as Nigerians Take Key Global Shea Alliance Positions
By [Reporter’s Name]
Nigeria’s ambition to become a dominant force in Africa’s shea industry received a major boost following the appointment of four Nigerians into the Executive Committee of the Global Shea Alliance (GSA), a development stakeholders say signals growing international confidence in the country’s value-addition agenda.
The appointments were announced during the 2026 Global Shea Alliance Conference held in Accra, Ghana, where policymakers, processors, exporters, investors, development institutions and private-sector players gathered to discuss sustainability, industrialisation and investment opportunities in the shea sector.
At the conference, stakeholders from Nigeria intensified calls for increased enterprise growth, improved access to finance, stronger regional trade and expanded local processing capacity as part of efforts to transform Africa’s shea industry from a raw commodity market into a value-driven industrial ecosystem.
Chief Executive Officer of Salid Agricultural Ltd, Ali Saidu, emerged as President of the Global Shea Alliance Executive Committee. Three other Nigerians also secured positions on the committee, including Amaka Kolawole, Director of Business Development and Corporate Affairs at AAK; Mohammed Kontagora, President of the National Shea Products Association of Nigeria; and Yosola Onanuga, Head of Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability at TGI Group.
Industry observers described the appointments as a reflection of Nigeria’s rising relevance in the global shea market, particularly following recent policy reforms aimed at strengthening local processing and retaining more value within producing countries.
Nigeria’s decision to restrict the export of raw shea nuts has continued to reshape conversations around traceability, industrial processing and long-term economic sustainability within the global shea supply chain.
Speaking at the conference, Saidu noted that the shea industry was undergoing rapid transformation, with producing countries increasingly demanding a more active role beyond supplying raw materials.
According to him, stronger partnerships, improved financing for small and medium-scale enterprises, and increased investment in local processing infrastructure are essential to unlocking the full economic potential of the sector.
“The shea sector is evolving rapidly, and there is growing recognition that producing countries must play a stronger role beyond raw material supply,” he said.
“To unlock the full economic potential of the industry, we must continue building stronger partnerships, improving access to finance for SMEs, and investing in local processing capacity that enables African countries to retain more value within the region.”
Saidu added that expanding processing infrastructure across Africa would enable producing nations to shift from dependence on raw commodity exports toward higher-value industrial production capable of generating jobs, foreign exchange earnings and economic growth.
Also speaking, Onanuga said recent reforms and coordinated industry initiatives had strengthened global confidence in Nigeria’s commitment to building a more structured, transparent and traceable shea ecosystem.
“We are beginning to see stronger alignment across governments, processors, development institutions and global buyers around the need to retain more value within producing countries,” she said.
“For Nigeria, this creates an opportunity not only to improve processing capacity but also to strengthen traceability, quality standards and long-term sustainability across the value chain.”
Participants at the conference stressed that deeper collaboration between governments, development partners and private-sector operators remains critical to accelerating industrialisation within Africa’s shea sector.
They noted that with increased investment in enterprise development, regional trade and local processing, Africa’s shea industry could transition into a globally competitive value-added manufacturing ecosystem capable of delivering greater economic benefits to producing communities across the continent.
Caption
Cross-section of Nigerian stakeholders at the 2026 Global Shea Alliance Conference in Accra, Ghana, where industry leaders advocated increased investment in local processing, enterprise growth and value addition across Africa’s shea sector.
