Nigeria Strengthens Global Shea Industry Influence As Ali Saidu Emerges GSA President

Nigeria Strengthens Global Shea Industry Influence as Ali Saidu Emerges GSA President Nigeria has recorded a major boost in its international agricultural profile after Ali Saidu, Chief Executive Officer of Salid Agricultural Ltd., emerged as President of the Executive Committee of the Global Shea Alliance GSA, reinforcing the country’s growing influence in the global shea industry. The development was announced during the 2026 Global Shea Alliance Conference held in Accra, Ghana, where policymakers, exporters, investors, development institutions, and private-sector stakeholders gathered to discuss sustainability, industrialisation, trade, and investment across the shea value chain. Alongside Saidu’s emergence as GSA President, three other Nigerians were inaugurated into the Executive Committee of the alliance:

• Amaka Kolawole, Director of Business Development and Corporate Affairs at AAK
• Mohammed Kontagora, President of the National Shea Products Association of Nigeria NASPAN
• Yosola Onanuga, Head of Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability at TGI Group

Industry stakeholders described the appointments as recognition of Nigeria’s expanding role in shaping the future of the global shea economy. The appointments come amid growing global attention on Nigeria’s policy shift toward restricting raw shea nut exports and encouraging local processing and value addition. Stakeholders at the conference said Nigeria’s strategy is increasingly influencing international conversations around

• Local industrialisation
• Traceability systems
• Sustainable sourcing
• Long-term value retention in producing countries

Experts say the policy aims to reduce Africa’s dependence on exporting raw agricultural commodities while promoting domestic manufacturing and processing capacity. Speaking after his election, Saidu said the shea sector is evolving rapidly and producing countries must move beyond supplying raw materials alone.

• Stronger regional partnerships are needed
• SMEs require improved financing access
• African countries must expand local processing infrastructure
• More value should remain within producing regions

He noted that increasing collaboration across the value chain is already creating new opportunities for:

• Enterprise growth
• Regional trade
• Sustainable investment
• Value-added production

Yosola Onanuga said recent reforms and industry initiatives have improved international confidence in Nigeria’s shea ecosystem.

She stated that governments, processors, development institutions, and international buyers are increasingly aligned on the need for producing countries to retain more economic value locally. According to stakeholders, Nigeria now has an opportunity to strengthen

• Processing capacity
• Quality standards
• Traceability systems
• Sustainability practices across the shea value chain

The Global Shea Alliance noted that Africa’s shea industry holds significant untapped economic potential, particularly for women, SMEs, and rural communities involved in shea collection and processing.

• Local processing
• Enterprise development
• Regional trade infrastructure
  could transform the shea sector from a raw commodity market into a more integrated industrial ecosystem driven by value added production. Nigeria is currently one of Africa’s major shea producing nations, with large volumes of shea nuts sourced from northern states including Niger, Kebbi, Kwara, Kogi, and Kaduna.