A sustainable income in Nigeria? Sounds more like a very frustrating thing to achieve, no matter the family size, it is important regardless to have working factors that still help to provide for daily needs and basic expenditure, and that is why domestic production and processing of the Shea nut have also proved to be a profitable business, a source of sustainable income for families. And it has been disclosed that processing the Shea nuts into Shea butter and selling it in the market has given families an affordable lifestyle. We can not rule out global market statistics, an indicator of how far shea nut production and processing has gone, possessing diversified industrial applications which have led to the increase in demand basically in the European Union and the United States of America and emerging markets in Asia. Records keeping a tall head about the strong demand in the international market which can be linked to a cost-effective product in the manufacturing of ice creams, chocolates, biscuits, and other consumable goods. Inarguably, it is regarded as a reliable product in the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries, and that is big deal.

Shea nut oil is extracted from shea nuts which is harvested from the Shea tree (Butyrospermum parkii). Sound pretty good to know that the species is of African origin, In Nigeria, the shea tree grows in the following states: Niger, Kwara, Kebbi, Kaduna, and Oyo (Nigerian Export Promotion Council, nd), we are richly blessed with this resourcefulness, and this is due to multi-purpose usage and benefits which can not be under listed. You must have heard about Shea butter Fat (SBF), which is obtained from shea butter seed, a readily available and cheap cooking ingredient in the northern parts of the country where the tree grows virtually everywhere. The interesting details here is that nothing is wasteful, everything counts and serves different purpose. The fatty matter has been used for years in Africa for several benefiting purposes, we can start the evaluation from food to soap processing to healthcare and other medicinal uses. Shea-Nut (Vitellaria paradoxa) a global interest beginning from its use as a cocoa butter which is dominant in the pharmaceutical and cosmetics industries.

The vast applications of Vitellaria paradoxa to the treatments of many bacterial diseases have helped to speed up the investigation of the plant for antibacterial components. The uses are enormous and inevitably as taken the grounds for health benefits, oil-based products, toiletry formulations, margarine, and soap making compared with other selected indigenous fats and oils, as a cosmetic, it is used as a moisturizer, face cream, lipstick, medicines, and for dressing hair. Currently, and hopeful for an improved result, shea nut oil is also being tested in new products such as dermatological creams for HIV patients to provide relief from skin rashes and irritations and vetinerary products. As a luxury ingredient for edible and personal care products globally, shea butter has been increasing in demand, and this is because it also offers UV protection (Sunscreen) and has strong anti-inflammatory properties. Shea butter is a renewable bioproduct that is traditionally and industrially used for many medical, personal care, cosmetic applications, and so on. More so, it can be a great solution to skin diseases in these days of acute weather and climatic conditions because of its effectiveness and harmless nature.

What is the usefulness of the shea tree plant? I hope you won’t consider it exaggerative when you figure out how useful the tree plant is, as stated earlier when it comes to shea nut, shea tree plant, and shea butter, nothing is wasteful. Therefore, fleshy pulp from shea tree plant are eaten locally like mango; the trunk, bark, cortex, roots, and leaves are used in the preparation of herbal remedies; The trunk is an excellent charcoal choice, and useful for building material; Butter is extracted from the kernel; The butter is also locally used in traditional medicines and cosmetics. Do you know that the feasibility report of shea nut and butter export in Nigeria shows that presently Nigeria is the leading exporter of shea nuts and butter in the world with a total trade value which is estimated at $400,000, and Incentives are offered for better quality nuts through an installment that is paid to exporters and the good news is that since most of the shea tree in Nigeria are found in bushes and forest which is not subjected to herbicides and fertilizers, Nigeria’s shea is one of the best in the world and qualify for organic certification.

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