For thousands of women across Northern Ghana, the shea business is more than just trade — it is the difference between feeding a family and going hungry, paying school fees or keeping children at home.
That reality took center stage at the opening ceremony of the World Shea Expo 2026 in Wa, where government officials unveiled plans aimed at changing how Ghana benefits from its booming shea industry.
Despite Ghana earning nearly GHS 1.93 billion from shea exports, the country still spent about GHS 1.86 billion importing processed shea oil — a situation government officials say must change if local communities are to truly benefit from their hard work.
Speaking at the event, Director of Presidential Initiatives in Agriculture and Agribusiness at the Office of the President, Dr. Peter Boamah Otokunor, painted a vivid picture of the imbalance facing the sector.
“This means that while we produce, others process and profit more. This imbalance is not sustainable, and it is exactly what we are determined to change,” he stated.
According to Dr. Otokunor, government is preparing major reforms, including phased restrictions on the export of raw shea nuts to encourage local processing and create jobs within Ghana. He explained that the proposed 24-Hour Economy policy will also help factories process shea products continuously, reducing waste and increasing production.
But beyond the economic figures and policies, the human impact remains the biggest concern.
“For many women across Northern Ghana, especially in this very region, the shea nut is not just a product — it is survival, it is school fees, it is healthcare, and it is hope,” Dr. Otokunor stressed.
His comments resonated strongly with many women processors and traders who gathered at the expo, some of whom have spent decades depending on shea for their livelihoods.
Also speaking at the ceremony, Wa East MP and Board Chairman of the Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA), Dr. Godfred Seidu Jasaw, warned that protecting shea trees must become a national priority.
“The shea tree is a climate-resilient economic lifeline for Northern Ghana,” he said. “If we do not jealously protect the raw material source, our processing targets and government investments will mean nothing.”
GEPA Deputy CEO Ambrose Edwin Nsarkoh added that Ghana has enormous potential in the global shea market, currently valued at about $6.4 billion. He revealed that government wants at least 50 percent of raw shea products processed locally as part of efforts to increase non-traditional export earnings to $10 billion by 2030.
For many farmers and processors in Northern Ghana, the hope is simple — that the people who harvest the shea nuts will finally benefit fully from the wealth hidden inside them.
