Correspondence from the Northern Region

Director for Presidential Special Initiatives in Agriculture and Agribusiness at the Office of the President, Dr Peter Boamah Otokunor, has disclosed the government’s plans to triple the processing of shea in the country through the 24-Hour Economy.

According to him, the government has revived the abandoned Buipe Shea Processing Factory which can process over 60,000 metric tonnes of shea nuts annually and can peak at 180,000 metric tonnes under a 24-hour operation.

Speaking at the opening of the World Shea Expo in Tamale on Tuesday, Dr Otokunor said the NDC-led government, through the 24-Hour policy, will be investing heavily in the shea industry to boost annual local production to about 400,000 metric tonnes from the current national production capacity of about 150,000 metric tonnes.

This, he noted, will increase the country’s earnings from the shea sector from $118 million to about $640 million.

“In 2023, Ghana was ranked as the top global exporter of shea butter. And currently producing an estimated capacity of between 130,000 to 150,000 metric tons of shea nuts annually, valued at approximately $118m. However, with the introduction of the 24-Hour Economy policy, we are setting a new national ambition. By investing in modern processing facilities, mechanised harvesting, cold storage, and all-season logistics, we are confident Ghana can increase shea nut production to 400,000 MT annually, valued at $640 million USD,” Dr Otokunor stated.

The Director of Presidential Special Initiatives said with the global market for shea projected to exceed $3 billion by 2030, “Ghana has the capacity, the expertise, and the entrepreneurial energy to capture a far greater share—if we act decisively, and if we act together.”

The 2025 World Shea Expo is organised by the Presidential Initiatives in Agriculture and Agribusiness at the Office of the President under the theme “Empowering Women and Youth-Led SMEs in the Shea Value Chain: The Role of Government and Financial Institutions.”

It is expected to provide business-to-business linkages, export opportunities worth close to $10 million, and significant progress in standards development, product packaging, and cooperative development.

The Chief Executive of the Ghana Export Promotion Authority, Francis Kojo Kwarteng Arthur, said GEPA has been building the capacities of several small and medium enterprises in the cosmetics and personal care products.

He said, “Other critical areas of support that GEPA will be extending to the industry will include product certification, enhanced value addition support, as well as intensifying the campaign for more investments in the sector.”

The Northern Regional Minister, Mr Ali Adolf John Mburidiba, said developing standards for both the shea kernels and the shea butter would enable Ghanaian products to meet the require­ments of premium markets across Europe, North America, and Asia.

He added that the government would work to provide direct support for women cooperatives, youth entrepreneurs, research institutions, and processors in the value chain to enhance their production competitiveness.