Accra, April 12, – Tamale in the Northern Region will host the 2026 World Shea Expo in September, organisers have announced, as Ghana intensifies efforts to reposition its shea sector as a major driver of industrial and export growth.
The Expo is expected to bring together more than 8,000 participants, including women’s cooperatives, processors, exporters, investors, development partners, policymakers, and international buyers from across the global shea value chain.
With the theme “From Local Commodity to Global Brand: Accelerating Women and Youth-Led Value Addition in Shea,” this year’s edition will focus on expanding local processing and reducing dependence on raw nut exports, which industry players say continues to limit national earnings.
Organisers say the event will be staged by Savannah Golden Tree Limited in collaboration with the Presidential Initiatives in Agriculture and Agribusiness (PIAA) under the Office of the President, with support from GEPA, EXIM Bank, the Tree Crops Development Authority (TCDA), and the Ghana Enterprises Agency.
Unlike previous editions, the 2026 Expo will combine exhibitions with technical sessions, business-to-business meetings, field visits, and live demonstrations aimed at strengthening practical linkages within the sector.
Although Ghana remains one of the world’s leading suppliers of shea, stakeholders note that a significant share of value addition still occurs outside the country, particularly in cosmetics and food processing industries abroad.
That gap, they argue, has slowed domestic industrial gains despite rising export volumes, which now exceed 70,000 metric tonnes, valued at about US$112.6 million. Globally, the shea market is estimated to be worth over US$2 billion.
A statement copied to the Ghana News Agency said the Expo is intended to attract investment into processing, improve access to technology and finance, and strengthen Ghana’s position in higher-value segments of the supply chain.
Dr Peter Boamah Otokunor, Director of the Presidential Initiatives in Agriculture and Agribusiness, described the upcoming event as a strategic step in shifting Ghana’s agribusiness model away from raw commodity exports.
He said greater inclusion of women and young people in processing, branding, and marketing was essential to building a competitive and sustainable shea industry capable of generating jobs and rural incomes.
The Expo is also expected to host policy dialogues involving government agencies, financial institutions, and development partners, focusing on industrialisation, trade facilitation, and climate resilience within the sector.
GHBUSS
12 April 2026
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