Nigeria stands at the forefront of the global shea butter market as the world’s largest producer of shea nuts. The shea nut is grown on a tree of the family Sapotaceae.
Shea Tree (Vitellaria paradoxa)
Shea nuts, often called "women's gold," are a crucial agricultural product in Nigeria, contributing significantly to the economy and providing livelihoods for millions. Shea butter in Nigeria is more than just an agricultural product; it’s a versatile commodity used in various industries.
Unrivaled Production and Quality
Nigeria produces an average of 263 thousand metric tonnes of shea nuts annually, accounting for approximately 53% of the total global production. The quality of Nigerian shea butter is renowned, with its oil-rich content and natural purity making it highly sought after in both local and international markets.
In 2019, Nigeria accounted for more than 39% of global shea nuts production. Nigeria is the leading source of shea to the world. More than 45% of global shea production originates from Nigeria, home to the world’s largest shea tree plantations.
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Versatile and In-Demand
From medicinal applications like treating skin disorders to being an essential ingredient in the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries, the applications of shea butter are vast and diverse. Shea butter is a fat (triglyceride, mainly oleic acid and stearic acid) extracted from the nut of the African Shea tree (Vitellaria paradoxa). It is ivory colour when raw. It is widely used in cosmetics as moisturizer, salve or lotion.
Shea butter is edible and is used in food preparation in some African countries. Early Shea butter commerce can be tracked in ancient Egyptian trade as an apparently abundant vegetable oil during the reign of King Merenre, approximately 4300 years before present date (BPD) from the Land of yam or Punt.
Empowering Local Communities
The production and processing of shea nuts provide sustainable income for many, particularly in rural areas. It empowers local communities, especially women, who play a significant role in the shea butter value chain. This industry not only supports local livelihoods but also contributes to the overall economic development of the country.
In Niger state alone, hundreds of thousands of women are believed to depend on some part of the shea production chain.
The Global Shea Butter Market
The demand for shea butter in the global market is poised to surpass $2.9 billion by 2025. Nigerian shea nuts are in high demand globally, particularly in the cosmetics and food industries. Major importing countries include the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, and Japan.
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Nigeria, with its unmatched shea nut production capacity, is uniquely positioned to capitalize on this growing demand, especially in the European Union, the United States, and emerging markets in Asia. The global demand for shea nuts is expected to rise, driven by increasing use in the cosmetics and food industries.
Nigeria exports about 50,000 tons of shea butter and allied derivatives valued at about $3.8 billion every year.
Challenges and Opportunities
Despite its status as the top producer, Nigeria faces challenges in shea butter production, including quality production issues and a lack of modern processing facilities. Our goal is to overcome the current challenges and ensure that Nigerian shea butter reaches its full potential on the global stage.
There is however a growing investment in processing facilities in Nigeria. This is expected to have an effect on the trade dynamics of shea products in West Africa. There is a general trend of moving from export of raw materials to processing in most West African countries. It is expected that more processing will take place in Africa in the near future.
Nigeria shea butter profits slipping out of local hands
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Recent Export Ban and Its Impact
In late August, the authorities announced a six-month ban on the export of the raw nut. The intention was to boost local production of the finished butter - as opposed to the nuts - and so increase the amount of the profit which stays in Nigeria. But the sudden shift has led to a fall in demand for the shea nut as there is not enough local capacity to process all of the country's harvest.
The reduction in demand has led to a collapse in the price of shea nuts, which in turn has meant that the income from their work is no longer enough for the women to live on. The ban is not fair. Had there been notification, we would have prepared.
Kingsley Uzoma, who advises the president on agricultural policy, defends the export ban on the grounds that Nigeria needs to benefit more from its natural resource and believes that the lives of the women involved in the industry will be improved.
The National Association of Shea Products of Nigeria (Naspan), the sector's umbrella body, has backed the ban as a "strategic and critical repositioning" of the industry. But it urged the government to offer some relief to traders holding large stocks.
Shea Tree and Its Distribution
Shea tree is a dicotyledonous woody plant it grows typically in the savannah and naturally stretches over Africa in the Northern hemisphere from southeastern Senegal to Ethiopia and Uganda. The plant thrives naturally in the dry savannah belt of West Africa from Senegal in the west to Sudan in the east, and onto the foothills of the Ethiopian highlands.
It is grown in 19 countries across the African continent, namely Benin Republic, Ghana, Chad, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Ethiopian, Guinea Bissau. Cole D’lvoire, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Togo, Uganda. A shea tree currently grows in the wild in many States including Niger, Nassarawa. Kebbi. Kwara, Kogi, Adamawa. Benue, Edo, Katsina, Plateau, Sokoto, Zamfara, Taraba, Borno and Oyo.
Shea Butter Production Process
Farmers do not pick the fruits from the tree but it must first mature and it falls to the ground from where it is collected. The farmers collect the fruits and carry it to where they perform the Shea Butter making process. The fruit is consumed, and the kernels are used to make the Shea Butter.
First the nuts are sorted from the pulp. Then the nuts are parboiled. After parboiling, they are left in the sun to dry. They must be completely dehydrated. This part of the process can take up to a week. When they are completely dried, they are collected again and crushed.
The farmer crush with a mortar and pestle or mechanized device, causing the nuts and the kernels to be separated. After this process, the nuts are roasted in a metal pot and put through a grinding process. This makes what looks like a brown paste. The paste is processed a second time in a very difficult procedure. This involves mixing, kneading and adding water into firm paste.
Traditional Shea Butter Production Process
Uses of Shea Butter
Shea butter is also locally used in traditional medicines and cosmetics, chocolates, candle and pastries as cocoa butter substitute. It is also used in pharmaceuticals and cosmetics because it is naturally rich in Vitamins A, E. and F. Furthermore Shea butter is widely utilized for domestic purposes such as cooking, skin moisturizer, edible products.
Traditionally, shea butter is used as cream for dressing hair, protecting skin from extreme weather and sun, relieving rheumatic and joint pains healing wounds/swelling/bruising, and massaging pregnant women and children. In Europe and Japan, shea butter is prized for its super healing and moisturizing properties. It is an ingredient in creams, sun screens, conditioners and in the treatment of burns and muscle pains.
Shea butter is packaged in clean, airtight containers. It can be plastic containers, jars or tins. Labeling of the shea butter with relevant information is necessary.
Comparison of Shea Nut Species
In Africa, there are two dominant species of shea nuts the Vitellaria paradoxa and Vitellaria nilotica. Vitellaria paradoxa is dominant and found in West African countries Such as Nigeria, Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire, Burkina Faso, and some other countries. Vitellaria Nilotica is found mainly in Uganda. The West African type has better consistency, works well in most formulations and is not too soft.
| Feature | Vitellaria paradoxa (West Africa) | Vitellaria nilotica (Uganda) |
|---|---|---|
| Dominance | Dominant in West Africa | Found mainly in Uganda |
| Consistency | Better consistency | - |
| Formulation | Works well in most formulations, not too soft | - |
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