The conference is aimed at transforming the global shea industry through investment, innovation, and inclusive growth.  

Scheduled for April 27 to 29, 2026, at the Accra International Conference Centre, the conference will bring together participants from Africa, Europe, North America and Asia to explore opportunities in trade, value addition and cross-border collaboration within the shea value chain.  

It will feature panel discussions, training sessions, exhibitions, field visits, and a “Deal Room” to facilitate targeted business engagements among buyers, suppliers, financiers, and service providers.  

The call was made at the launch of the conference in Tamale where stakeholders underscored the strategic importance of Ghana especially the Northern Region as a major hub in the global shea industry.  

Mr Julius Awaregya, a Member of the Executive Committee of the GSA, in an address, said the conference would serve as a leading global platform for dialogue and business development in the shea sector.  

He said the 2026 edition would focus on strengthening partnerships across borders, responding to evolving policies, and unlocking new opportunities in food, cosmetics, and industrial markets.  

Mr Awaregya noted that the GSA, with 849 members across 36 countries, continued to promote sustainable practices, quality standards and increased demand for shea products through public-private partnerships.  

The launch also highlighted a strategic collaboration between the GSA and Ghana’s 24-Hour Economy initiative, a national policy aimed at boosting productivity, creating jobs and accelerating export development.  

Mr Augustus Goosie Tanoh, Presidential Advisor on the 24-Hour Economy and Accelerated Export Development Programme, who was represented at the launch, emphasised the transformative potential of the shea value chain.  

He noted that ongoing interventions under the Shea Value Chain Programme were expected to create more than 72,000 jobs especially for women while improving productivity through access to modern processing equipment such as milling machines, hydraulic presses and smoking drums.  

He underscored need for value chain integration to link rural collectors to processors, exporters and international markets, thereby reducing middlemen and increasing incomes for local communities.  

He further emphasized the importance of shifting from the export of raw shea nuts to value-added products including cosmetics and finished goods to enhance foreign exchange earnings and build a resilient economy.  

Mr Ali Adolf John, Northern Regional Minister described the shea sector as a critical driver of rural livelihoods, women’s empowerment and economic growth.  

He said the region, with its vast shea parklands and thousands of women engaged in the sector, remained central to Ghana’s position as a leading supplier of high-quality shea products to the global market.  

He said, “The shea tree, often referred to as women’s gold, continues to provide livelihoods and economic opportunities for hundreds of thousands of women across northern Ghana.”  

Mr John noted that the growing global demand for shea products presented a unique opportunity for Ghana to expand value addition, strengthen processing industries and increase exports.  

He, however, emphasised need to ensure that growth in the sector remained sustainable and inclusive with benefits reaching the communities and women, who formed the backbone of the industry.  

He also highlighted the importance of initiatives such as shea tree mapping to enhance women’s land tenure security, noting that protecting shea parklands was essential for environmental sustainability and climate resilience.  

He commended the GSA, Shea Network Ghana and partner institutions for their commitment to developing the sector and called for stronger collaboration among stakeholders to unlock its full potential.  

Hajia Rabiatu Abdul Karim, President of the Ghana Shea Employers Association appealed to stakeholders to support efforts to transport more women in the shea sector to Accra to participate in the conference.  

She expressed optimism that the Shea 2026 conference would translate dialogue into concrete partnerships and investments ultimately improving livelihoods and strengthening Ghana’s position in the global shea industry.