Kwara State is poised to take a leading role in Nigeria’s shea industry as Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq prepares to officially open a 50-tonne shea butter processing plant in Kaiama. This facility will be the second largest in the nation and the largest shea butter factory owned by any state government.
This development comes shortly after President Bola Tinubu announced a prohibition on the export of raw shea butter, a policy aimed at boosting domestic production, promoting value addition, and ensuring that wealth remains within local communities involved in shea cultivation.
In response to the presidential directive, Governor AbdulRazaq hailed it as a timely and strategic intervention that will strengthen the entire shea value chain, enhance product quality, and generate thousands of employment opportunities.
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“The directive from the President will stimulate local production and value addition. Placing the factory in Kaiama positions the local community at the core of shea production and guarantees that they enjoy the benefits, including job creation, minimized post-harvest losses, and retention of value within the community,” the governor stated on Tuesday.
As a flagship initiative of the AbdulRazaq administration, the factory is expected to catalyze economic activities in Kwara North, a region where women farmers and pickers play a dominant role in shea nut collection. By integrating the sourcing of raw materials, processing, and access to markets, the project is set to exemplify backward and forward integration within the sector.
Kwara and Niger States continue to be the primary strongholds of shea nut trees in Nigeria, with Kwara North alone home to over 250,000 naturally growing trees spread across approximately 6,000 hectares of land.
