Raw shea nuts, a key export product from Nigeria, crucial for shea butter production and local economy.
Côte d’Ivoire has inaugurated a $17 million oilseed processing facility in Kongodékro, Bouaké, as the government seeks to increase domestic processing and capture more value from agricultural production. The facility can process 70,000 metric tons of raw materials annually, including shea kernels and soybeans. Its shea butter production line is already operational. The new plant adds to an industry with approximately 20 processing facilities and a combined annual capacity of 130,000 metric tons of shea kernels. However, existing processors operate below capacity. For instance, formal channels handled 51,697 metric tons during the 2025/26 season, equivalent to about 40% of installed processing capacity. This season, officials want marketed volumes to reach 60,000 metric tons, about 16% more than the previous season, backed by a land-border export ban on shea nuts and kernels and a rule restricting purchases to processing companies.