Ghana and Nigeria are seeking to deepen cooperation in the shea industry, targeting increased financing, processing capacity and cross-border trade to strengthen a sector critical to rural livelihoods and export earnings.
The push was outlined during bilateral talks in Accra between President John Dramani Mahama and Nigeria’s Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, John Owan Enoh, held on the sidelines of the 18th Annual Shea Industry Conference.
Discussions centred on expanding value addition, improving market access and unlocking investment across the shea value chain, with a focus on creating opportunities for rural women who dominate production.
The conference, opened on April 28, featured Vice President Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, who underscored the sector’s economic importance to both countries.
Officials from Ghana, including Deputy Trade Minister Sampson Ahi representing Trade Minister Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, joined executives from the Ghana Export-Import Bank and the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre in the discussions alongside Nigerian counterparts.
The meetings are part of broader efforts to strengthen regional supply chains under Africa’s trade integration agenda, as governments look to reduce reliance on raw commodity exports and scale up industrial processing.
The shea sector spans much of West Africa and supports millions of smallholder producers, making it a key focus for policies aimed at inclusive growth and job creation.
