By Lawrence Odoom
Vice President Professor Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang has articulated a compelling vision for Ghana’s to shea industry, asserting that the government’s 24-hour economy policy will be pivotal in “boosting productivity, creating jobs, and strengthening value chains within the shea sector.”
Speaking at the official opening of the SHEA 2026 Conference, convened by the Global Shea Alliance with support from the 24-Hour Economy and Accelerated Export Development Secretariat, the Vice President underscored the imperative of transitioning from raw commodity export to industrialized, value-added production.
The Alliance, “inaugurated in 2011 by President John Dramani Mahama, has grown significantly over the past 15 years, fostering impactful collaboration to advance the shea industry across Africa.” This year’s gathering assembled delegates from 21 African nations alongside leading development partners.
Prof. Opoku-Agyemang emphasized the urgency for Ghana and the continent to pivot from exporting unprocessed shea to value-added manufacturing, a thrust she said aligns with “Government’s Reset Agenda aimed at accelerating industrial growth.”
“Ghana’s shea sector remains a critical source of livelihood for hundreds of thousands of women, whose contributions continue to sustain households and support the national economy,” she stated. “With global demand for shea products on the rise, she emphasised the importance of positioning Ghana to capture greater value through processing, innovation, and expanded market access.”
The Vice President also “stressed the importance of environmental sustainability, including the protection of shea parklands, improved soil fertility, and sustained support for farmers across the savannah ecological zones.” She framed ecological stewardship as inseparable from economic ambition, noting that resilient landscapes are foundational to long-term sectoral prosperity.
While lauding the sector’s progress, Prof. Opoku-Agyemang issued a clarion call for a “forward-looking approach to ensure that the benefits of the growing shea industry are equitably shared, particularly among the women who form its backbone.”
She expressed confidence that “deliberations at SHEA 2026 will yield practical solutions and renewed partnerships to drive the next phase of growth, contributing to Ghana’s economic transformation and Africa’s broader development agenda.”
The SHEA 2026 Conference continues this week with technical sessions on processing technologies, climate-smart agroforestry, and access to finance for women-led enterprises, as stakeholders chart a roadmap for Africa’s ascendancy in the global shea value chain.