Nigeria's efforts to enhance its shea industry have received a major boost following the emergence of a Nigerian as President of the Global Shea Alliance (GSA) Executive Committee and the inauguration of three other Nigerians as members of the committee. The development was announced at the 2026 Global Shea Alliance Conference held in Accra, Ghana, where policymakers, processors, investors, exporters, development institutions, and private sector stakeholders gathered to advance discussions on sustainability, trade, industrialisation, and investment across the shea value chain.
New Leadership for Global Shea Alliance
The Chief Executive Officer of Salid Agricultural Ltd., Ali Saidu, emerged as President of the GSA Executive Committee. Meanwhile, the Director of Business Development and Corporate Affairs at AAK, Amaka Kolawole; President of NASPAN, Mohammed Kontagora; and Head of Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability at TGI Group, Yosola Onanuga, were inaugurated as members of the executive committee. These appointments further reinforce Nigeria's growing relevance within the global shea industry and reflect increasing recognition of the country's evolving role in driving value addition across the sector.
Policy Shift on Raw Shea Nut Exports
The growing visibility of Nigerian stakeholders within the alliance comes at a time when the country's recent policy direction on restricting the export of raw shea nuts is increasingly reshaping conversations around local processing, traceability, and long-term value retention within producing countries. Speaking at the conference, the newly elected President Saidu noted that the shea industry is witnessing stronger collaboration across the value chain, with increasing opportunities for enterprise growth, regional trade, financing, and value-added production.
"The shea sector is evolving rapidly, and there is growing recognition that producing countries must play a stronger role beyond raw material supply," Saidu said. "To unlock the full economic potential of the industry, we must continue building stronger partnerships, improving access to finance for SMEs, and investing in local processing capacity that enables African countries to retain more value within the region."
Global Confidence in Nigeria's Shea Ecosystem
Commenting on the development, Onanuga noted that recent developments have deepened global confidence in Nigeria's commitment to building a more structured and traceable shea ecosystem. "We are beginning to see stronger alignment across governments, processors, development institutions, and global buyers around the need to retain more value within producing countries," she said. "For Nigeria, this creates an opportunity not only to improve processing capacity, but also to strengthen traceability, quality standards, and long-term sustainability across the value chain."
Call for Increased Investment and Collaboration
The conference reinforced the growing importance of collaboration between governments, development partners, and private sector operators in accelerating value addition and strengthening Africa's position within the global shea industry. Stakeholders noted that increasing investment in local processing, enterprise development, and regional trade could help shift the sector from raw commodity dependence toward a more integrated and value-driven industrial ecosystem. The appointments and policy shifts signal a new era for Nigeria's shea industry, with potential benefits for local economies and global trade.
