…The event also featured the signing of a N2 billion Memorandum of Understanding between Niger Foods and Salid Shea Nut Processing Factory in Kudu to create direct employment for women and youth to pick shea nuts
FRI AUG 08 2025-theGBJournal| Niger State Governor, Mohammed Umaru Bago, has disclosed that the state government, through Niger Foods, will plant 10 million shea trees to boost production of shea butter in the state
The governor stated this at the inauguration of a shea butter processing plant established by Salid Agriculture Nigeria Limited, supported by NEXIM Bank in Kudu, Mokwa Local Government Area of the State
Farmer Governor Umaru Bago said the idea is to create employment for the teeming youths and women as well as to improve socio-economic activities in the state and strengthen its status as the headquarters of shea trees.
He said 10,000 hectares of land will be prepared for the purpose so that shea nuts will be readily available for investors in the shea nuts industry.
The farmer governor commended the management of Salid Agriculture for establishing the shea butter processing plant, noting that it would complement government efforts in job creation and improve the economic status of the people of Kudu community, while urging the people to support the plant to achieve its desired objective.
The Chief Executive Officer, Salid Agriculture Nigeria Ltd. Ali Saidu, who gave an overview of the Salid Shea Butter Processing Plant Kudu, disclosed that the decision to establish the plant with a production capacity of 30,000 metric tons of shea butter annually is to increase capacity utilisation and enhance the quality shea butter production in Niger State to compete with the global market.
The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, NEXIM Bank, Abba Bello, explained that Nigeria produces 60% of shea nuts globally, but the lack of industrial plants has been a major setback for processing, which has hitherto been done by women.
He said that NEXIM Bank will continue to collaborate with the Salid plant and the Niger State government to achieve the whole value chain of shea nuts.
The Minister of State Agriculture and Food Security, Abdullahi Sabi Abdullahi, described the establishment of the shea nut processing plant as a huge agricultural investment and applauded the approach of the farmer governor in transforming agriculture in line with the vision of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to diversify the nation’s economy.
In their separate remarks, former Governor of Bayelsa State and Minister of State Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, and the Etsu Nupe and Chairman Niger State Council of traditional rulers, Yahaya Abubakar, applauded the farmer governor for providing an enabling environment for such investment and tasked the state government and other stakeholders to protect the investment and address indiscriminate tree felling, which has continued to pose environmental hazards.
The event also featured the signing of a N2 billion Memorandum of Understanding between Niger Foods and Salid Shea Nut Processing Factory in Kudu to create direct employment for women and youth to pick shea nuts and bring them to the Salid factory for direct purchase.
The farmer governor, along with his entourage, inspected different segments of the factory, which include the warehouse, solvent extraction base, and oil mills.
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