…Governor AbdulRazaq says Kaiama project will boost jobs, value chain growth
Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has hailed President Bola Tinubu’s decision to ban the export of raw shea butter, describing it as a bold step that will strengthen Nigeria’s value chain and create more opportunities for local producers.
The Governor’s commendation comes as Kwara prepares to inaugurate a 50-tonne shea processing factory in Kaiama, which will be the second-largest in Nigeria and the biggest owned by any state government.
Governor AbdulRazaq said the policy will stimulate higher production, enhance quality, and open up thousands of jobs across the shea value chain. He noted that the Kaiama factory, one of the flagship economic projects of his administration, is strategically designed to empower women farmers, pickers, and other local workers.
“Locating the factory within Kaiama puts the people at the centre of local shea production. It ensures that benefits such as job creation, reduced post-harvest losses, and value retention stay within the community,” the Governor said in a statement on Tuesday.
He added that the project reflects “true backward and forward integration” by combining raw material sourcing, processing, and market access in one locality.
Kwara North is one of Nigeria’s shea production hubs, with over 250,000 naturally growing trees across 6,000 hectares of land. Alongside Niger State, it accounts for a major share of the country’s shea nut production.
The Kaiama factory is expected to position Kwara as a leading player in the global shea industry, while also advancing the administration’s agenda of driving industrialization and rural development.
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