Opoku-Agyemang opens World Shea Expo 2026 in Tamale

Vice President Professor Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang inaugurated the World Shea Expo 2026 in Tamale, Ghana, with a focus on strengthening partnerships, investment, and value addition to boost the shea industry. Spanning three days, the expo aims to promote processing, branding, and market access, positioning Ghana to capture a larger share of the growing global shea market, which is projected to exceed $3 billion by 2030.

Hosting about 7,000 participants, including women's cooperatives and international buyers, the event features exhibitions, panel discussions, investment forums, training workshops, and field visits, with the potential to generate exports worth nearly $10 million. The expo seeks to recognize the shea tree's contribution while addressing challenges faced by women and youth in the industry, such as limited access to finance, weak infrastructure, and disorganized markets.

The government is implementing initiatives like the Feed Ghana Programme and Farmer Service Centres to improve access to machinery, technology, and markets. Vice President Opoku-Agyemang challenged stakeholders to enable women to move from shea nut collection to aggregation, processing, manufacturing, and exports while securing ownership stakes in companies and distribution networks.

The government's plans include reviving the Buipe Shea Processing Factory, establishing a Technical Management Committee for a demonstration farm, and developing national standards for shea kernels and butter to meet premium market requirements.