Developing the Shea Value Chain for Wealth Creation in Nigeria

Abstract

Shea tree, which grows widely and naturally in West and Central Africa, is valued because of the Shea butter extracted from the Shea nut. It grows only in the wild, and can take up to 50 years to mature. Based on distribution, two species of the tree have been identified namely; Vitellaria paradoxa and Vitellaria nilotica. Vitellaria paradoxa grows mainly in the West African region while Vitellaria nilotica grows mainly in Northern Uganda and Southern Sudan. In Nigeria, Shea tree grows in Niger, Kwara, Kebbi, Kaduna, Kogi, Benue, Ogun and Oyo States. Shea butter, a slightly yellowish or ivory-coloured fat, is widely used in cosmetics as a moisturizer, salve or lotion.  In Africa, Shea butter is used as cooking oil, as wax, for hairdressing, for candle-making, and also as an ingredient in medicinal ointments. Shea butter is also used in the chocolate industry as a substitute for cocoa butter. Shea butter extract is a complex fat that contains, besides many nonsaponifiable components, the following fatty acids: oleic acid (40-60%), stearic acid (20-50%), linoleic acid (3-11%), palmitic acid (2-9%), linolenic acid (<1%) and arachidic acid (<1%). Demand for Shea products has grown in the European Union (EU) and the United States of America (USA) necessitating Nigeria and other West African Countries to go into the export of Shea products. The rise in demand is due to the fact that cosmetics and personal care companies have increased the use of Shea butter in their products. The market prefers the following kernel qualities: FFA<6%, fat content 45 – 55%, water content < 7%, and impurities < 1%. The preferred demand for butter quality for the cosmetic industry varies depending on the end use. However, preferences include non-solvent extraction, low FFA, ‘clean’ white to yellow colour (not grey), low level of impurities, low water content, low odour, low melting point and high unsaponifiable fraction. It has been indicated that the main problem encountered in marketing of Shea products is FFA and aflatoxin content in the nut while in storage. For the butter, the main problem is both the FFA and impurities. This paper identifies lack of value addition as the major constraint in expanding Shea nut processing and marketing in Nigeria. The concept of value addition is a vital component for addressing global market competition, post-harvest losses and food security. Value addition promotes market acceptability and gives the products high economic value which consequently brings higher income to the producer.

Keywords: Shea nut, Shea butter, Value addition, Processing, Marketing.