The Niger Government is discussing with United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and the Bank of Industry to establish a Shea butter factory, an official has said.
Alhaji Ahmed Kontagora, Director General, Niger State Export Promotion Council, said at a press briefing on Saturday in Minna that the discussions had reached advanced stage.
“Niger state government is talking with UNIDO and Bank of Industry with a view to establishing a Shea butter refinery in the state; this is because in the whole of Africa there is no Shea refinery.
“We are also talking with some cosmetics factories that use Shea butter as their major raw material with a view to establishing their factories in the state’’, Kontagora said.
The director general did not say when and where the refinery would be sited in the state but said those discussions with UNIDO and the bank was on.
He said that the world market value of Shea nuts stands at $3.8 billion, adding that one tone of Shea nut in the state now sells for between 250, 000 and N300, 000.
?“Presently Nigeria accounts for 57 per cent of world supply of Shea nuts, adding that “Niger State produces 70 per cent of the Shea nuts being exported’’.
Kontagora said that the refinery would attract pharmaceutical and vegetable oil industries to the state.
Also speaking, Dr Hadiza Mohammed, Permanent Secretary of the council,? said that the Global Shea Alliance would hold its next meeting in Abuja and Niger.
“The Global Shea Alliance has agreed that Abuja and Niger State co-host its next annual conference on March 13, 2013’’, she said.
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