Global Shea industry worth $200m globally – Minister

The Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, Hajiya Aisha Abubakar, has said that countries with shea industry make over $200 million every year.

Speaking at a stakeholders’ conference in Abuja, the minister called on stakeholders in the shea industry to ensure greater diversification of shea products for increased job creation and foreign exchange earnings which would translate to enhanced wellbeing of the citizenry.

The Shea Conference was organised by the Global Shea Alliance (GSA) and the National Shea Products Association of Nigeria (NASPA), in conjunction with the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment and the Federal Ministry of Agriculture.

Hajiya Aisha pointed out that the shea industry had served as a means of livelihood to about 400 million people; especially women and youths across shea producing and processing countries. She added that shea export volume from producing countries; especially in Africa, had grown from over 350,000 metric tonnes (MT) per annum which amounted to about 600 per cent increase compared to what it was 20 years ago.