Is Nigeria aiming to increase export output of shea nuts & butter?
On November 12 2020, Ramatu Aliyu, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister of State, Nigeria, in an address at the third technical meeting of the National Committee on Export Promotion, disclosed that the government is targeting increasing export output of Shea nuts and Shea butter.
Why is shea butter important to Nigeria?
The soaring demand for Shea butter has brought to fore the necessity for Nigeria, the world’s top producer, to capitalise on its unrivalled Shea nut production capacity, making it a valuable export commodity and a key component of Nigeria’s diversification goal towards ensuring a sustainable economy.
How is shea nut oil made?
The process of making Shea Nut Oil is similar to the production process of other fractionated carrier oils. The raw Shea Butter pressed from the Shea nut undergoes a process known as fractionation, which allows its liquid oil (the ‘olein’) to separate from the heavier components (the ‘stearin’).
How much Shea does Nigeria produce a year?
According to the National Shea Products Association, Nigeria can satisfy 60 per cent of global demand. The association however noted that the country exports about 10 per cent of over 250,000 tonnes of Shea nuts produced annually.