Ivory Coast: National Shea Butter Exhibition aims to accelerate sector transformation and structuring
The first edition of the National Shea Butter Exhibition SNKA will be held on October 13 and 14, 2026, at the Palais des Congr猫s of the Sofitel Hotel Ivoire in Abidjan. Organized by KOM NAYAH and supported by the National Shea Butter Federation of Ivory Coast FENKACI, the event aims to promote and enhance the shea butter sector in Ivory Coast. The theme for this inaugural exhibition is "What ecosystem for the sustainable development of the shea butter sector in Ivory Coast?". Kouadio-Kon茅 Minafoun Pinguey, General Commissioner of SNKA and president of FENKACI, highlighted the economic, environmental, and social potential of shea butter, particularly for women who constitute a large portion of the sector's workforce. She emphasized that thousands of women are involved in collecting and processing shea nuts, contributing to their communities' economies. The exhibition seeks to create a national platform for producers, processors, industrialists, researchers, investors, and entrepreneurs to foster business meetings, experience sharing, innovation, and partnerships. Niton Camara, Deputy Organizing Committee President, outlined three main priorities for the two-day event: accelerating the industrialization of the shea butter sector, strengthening women's empowerment, and developing access to national, sub-regional, and international markets. Issa Konat茅, Deputy Director General of the Cotton and Shea Council, praised the initiative, stressing the importance of secondary processing
