Salid Agriculture Nigeria Limited has opened a 30,000-metric-tonne yearly processing facility in Kudu, Mokwa Local Government Area of Niger State, in an effort to meet the growing demand for shea butter worldwide and strengthen Nigeria’s economy.
Mohammed Umaru Bago, the state governor who presided over the inauguration ceremony in Mokwa, called the project a significant step toward establishing Niger as the world’s center for shea production.
Bago emphasized that the plant ushers in a new era for Niger State, one in which the state’s natural resources are used to generate employment and economic growth.
“The state government has allocated 10,000 hectares for shea butter tree cultivation to ensure a consistent raw material supply, making Niger State an attractive and secure environment for investors,” he said.
“We have entered a N2 billion Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, between Niger Foods and the company to provide direct employment opportunities for women and youth in shea nut harvesting and supply.”
The facility, the biggest in Africa, intends to build a state-of-the-art shea butter refinery and increase its processing capacity to 400 metric tonnes per day, according to Ali Saidu, CEO of Salid Agriculture.
Saidu stated, “The company is working in partnership with GIZ and DFID through the PROPCOM MAIKAIFI project to organise local shea nut pickers, mainly women, into structured cooperatives, promoting grassroots employment.
Executive Director Daniel Alabi of Salid Agriculture outlined the company’s CSR initiatives, which include environmental protection, rural electrification, and education for girls, and characterized the facility as a representation of tenacity and dedication.
In a similar vein, Abba Bello, CEO of NEXIM Bank, the project’s sponsor, noted that although Nigeria produces 60% of the world’s shea nuts, the country has yet to establish large-scale industrial processing facilities.
He also announced plans to establish four more processing plants throughout the nation.
