The Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) has engaged stakeholders in Niger on the establishment of a Common Facility Centre (CFC) for shea processing to address production challenges, improve product quality and enhance Nigeria’s competitiveness in the global market.

The engagement held in Minna on Thursday focused on assessing stakeholders’ needs and developing strategies for the location, management, funding and sustainability of the proposed centre.

The Executive Director of NEPC, Nonye Ayeni,  said the meeting would enable stakeholders to identify challenges and develop practical solutions for the successful establishment of the facility.

Ms Ayeni, represented by the Director of Solid Minerals at the council, Samson Idowu, said high production costs, limited access to modern processing equipment and difficulties in accessing profitable markets remained major challenges confronting operators in the shea value chain, particularly women and small-scale processors.

She said Nigeria accounted for about 40 to 50 per cent of global shea nut production, estimated between 350,000 and 400,000 metric tonnes annually, but had historically captured only a fraction of the market economic value because much of its produce was exported as raw kernels.

According to her, processing shea nuts into butter could increase their value by five to 10 times, while the federal government’s restriction on raw shea nut exports for 2026 and 2027 was intended to encourage local processing and increase earnings from the sector.

She said the proposed centre would provide shared access to modern equipment for cracking, roasting, kneading, pressing and filtering shea nuts to enable small and medium-scale enterprises to reduce costs and meet national and international quality standards.

Ms Ayeni urged stakeholders to agree on the centre location, governance structure, funding arrangements and maintenance plan, adding that private-sector participation and reliable purchase agreements would be critical to its sustainability.

Earlier in his opening remarks, NEPC State Coordinator, Yakubu Gambo, said the council remained committed to promoting, developing and diversifying Nigeria export trade through training, workshops and other capacity building programmes.

He said the proposed centre would improve processing methods, expand market opportunities and increase the incomes of shea value-chain operators particularly women and youths.

Also speaking, Permanent Secretary, Ministry for Commerce, Industry and Cooperatives in Niger State, Helen Umaru, said government responsibility was to provide an enabling environment for businesses to thrive.

Ms Umaru, represented by the Director of Commerce, Aliyu Umaru, said the initiative aligned with the economic development priorities of Governor Umaru Bago-led administration, adding that the state was developing three Free Export Processing Zones to attract investors.

Also, Centre Manager of the Technology Incubation Centre (TIC), Minna, Jibrin Abdulrahman, pledged the centre support for the initiative, saying it had the technical expertise and manpower to assist stakeholders in establishing a functional facility.

Similarly, Chairperson of the Shea Nut Producers and Processors Association of Nigeria (SNPPAN) in Niger, Jummai Shekarau, said stakeholders had sought such a facility for years, expressing hope that the engagement would lead to a functional centre.

Mr Shekarau said the centre would provide a platform for showcasing different grades of shea butter, including edible and cosmetic grades.

The stakeholders agreed that the establishment of shea plantations would go a long way in improving the quantity of shea nut production.

(NAN)