Kwara set to commission Shea Butter factory in Kaiama

The Kwara State Government is set to commission a shea butter processing factory in Kaiama, aimed at boosting local industry, creating jobs, and empowering rural communities. The project aligns with the Federal Government’s ban on the export of raw shea nuts, ensuring that produce harvested in the country is processed locally before reaching international markets. […]

The Kwara State Government is set to commission a shea butter processing factory in Kaiama, aimed at boosting local industry, creating jobs, and empowering rural communities.

The project aligns with the Federal Government’s ban on the export of raw shea nuts, ensuring that produce harvested in the country is processed locally before reaching international markets.

The factory has an annual production capacity of 20,000 tonnes, positioning Kwara as a key player in Nigeria’s shea butter value chain. A second phase is planned, which will include a 50-ton daily solvent extraction plant, raising the overall capacity to 40,000 metric tonnes per year.

Officials said the factory was strategically located in Kaima, a major hub for shea nut activity in Kwara North, where over 250,000 shea trees grow across about 6,000 hectares of land. The region is noted for producing high-quality shea butter.

The shea butter produced at the facility is said to meet export standards required for the cosmetics, pharmaceutical, and food industries, opening opportunities for global trade.

The project is also expected to directly benefit rural women, who form the majority of shea nut pickers and farmers in the area, by providing steady income opportunities and reducing post-harvest losses.

By siting the factory within the local community instead of urban centres, the state government said it hopes to strengthen local ownership of economic benefits, create jobs, and attract related agro-processing businesses to Kwara North.

Authorities described the initiative as a community-centred development model that links raw material sourcing, processing, and market access in one locality.