The World Shea Expo, one of Africa’s most significant agribusiness platforms, is set to return to Tamale in August 2026 under the theme ‘From local commodity to global brand: Accelerating women and youth-led value addition in shea’. This event is expected to play a pivotal role in shaping the future of the shea industry in Ghana and beyond.
Building on the success of the previous edition, the 2026 expo aims to deepen investment, expand international trade linkages, and accelerate value addition across the shea value chain. The event will take place in August at Tamale, the capital of the Northern Region and a central hub within the shea producing belt.
The expo is projected to attract over 8,000 participants from around the globe, including women cooperatives, processors, exporters, policymakers, investors, development partners, and international buyers. It is being organized by Savannah Golden Tree Limited in partnership with the Presidential Initiatives in Agriculture and Agribusiness under the Office of the President of Ghana (PIAA), with support from key national institutions such as the Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA), Ghana EXIM Bank, Tree Crops Development Authority (TCDA), and Ghana Enterprises Agency.
The 2026 Expo will feature a dynamic range of activities, including exhibitions, technical presentations, plenary sessions, field trips, business-to-business engagements, training programmes, and live demonstrations. These activities are designed to strengthen linkages across the shea value chain and promote industrial transformation.
Strategic Theme for Industrial Transformation
The 2026 expo, themed ‘From local commodity to global brand: Accelerating women and youth-led value addition in shea’, reflects Ghana’s shift from exporting raw shea to building a competitive, value-driven industry. Despite the country’s strong export position supplying global cosmetic, food, and pharmaceutical industries, much of the value chain remains external—limiting local gains in refining, branding, and distribution. With exports exceeding 70,000 metric tonnes (about US$112.6 million) and a global market projected above US$2 billion, the transformation potential is substantial.
The theme places women and youth at the center, aiming to expand their access to technology, finance, skills, and markets, enabling movement into higher-value activities. It signals a strategic transition toward positioning Ghana as a producer of globally recognized shea brands driven by inclusive and sustainable industrial growth.
Leadership Vision
Dr. Peter Boamah Otokunor, Director-Presidential Initiatives in Agriculture and Agribusiness, underscored the expo’s strategic importance in driving national development. He stated:
“The World Shea Expo represents a decisive step in Ghana’s journey toward agribusiness transformation. We are moving beyond the export of raw materials to building a globally competitive shea industry that delivers value, creates jobs, and empowers our women and youth. This is how we secure long-term prosperity for our rural communities and position Ghana as a leader in global agricultural trade.”
Strengthening Partnerships and Policy Dialogue
The expo will promote collaboration among government agencies, financial institutions, development partners, research bodies, and traditional authorities. Policy dialogues will focus on industrialization, trade, agribusiness financing, climate resilience, and regional cooperation within the shea sector.
Key institutions such as the Ghana Export Promotion Authority, Ghana EXIM Bank, Tree Crops Development Authority, and Ghana Enterprises Agency will support policy coordination and investment facilitation. The expo will feature an international exhibition showcasing shea products, processing technologies, and innovations in packaging and branding.
Business-to-business forums will link cooperatives, SMEs, investors, and global buyers to drive investment and trade partnerships. Youth-focused sessions will support entrepreneurship through training, mentorship, and innovation initiatives. Technical workshops will cover quality standards, certification, sustainable production, and supply chain improvements, while an interactive Shea Village will demonstrate both traditional and modern processing methods.
Participants will include cooperatives, processors, exporters, international companies, investors, government agencies, researchers, youth entrepreneurs, traditional authorities, and media.
Toward a Global Shea Hub
Organizers say the 2026 edition will move beyond participation to focus on measurable outcomes, including increased investment in processing, expansion of international trade, and the development of globally recognized Ghanaian shea brands. The expo is expected to serve as a strategic platform for increasing export earnings, strengthening Ghana’s position in global shea markets, promoting rural industrialization and job creation, enhancing women and youth participation in agribusiness, and encouraging sustainable management of shea parklands.
Through strengthened partnerships, targeted investment promotion, and sustained policy engagement, the expo is poised to transform the shea industry into a globally competitive sector that supports economic growth and rural development.
As preparations intensify, Tamale is once again poised to host the world—bringing together diverse voices and interests in a collective effort to unlock the full potential of one of Africa’s most valuable natural resources.
For many in the industry, the World Shea Expo’s return signals not just another event but a defining moment in the evolution of Ghana’s shea sector from a commodity-driven industry to a globally respected brand.
The World Shea Expo 2026 will convene stakeholders from across the entire value chain—grassroots collectors and cooperatives to global brands, investors, policymakers, researchers, and development partners—to drive collaboration, innovation, and investment in transforming the shea sector into a competitive, value-added industry.
The expo is expected to deliver strong economic, social, and environmental benefits by boosting processing capacity, expanding trade, strengthening SMEs, promoting sustainable practices, and advancing women and youth participation in agribusiness.
To achieve these outcomes, organizers call on strategic partners, investors, financial institutions, and industry players to actively collaborate and support the expo, ensuring its success and long-term, sustainable impact.
