AAK, a global leader in the production of plant-based oils and fats, has reaffirmed its long-term commitment to Ghana’s shea sector and broader tree crops industry at the recently concluded Ghana Tree Crops Investment Summit and Exhibition 2026, held from 17th to 20th February 2026 at the Accra International Conference Centre.
The Summit brought together government officials, industry leaders, development partners, diplomatic missions and traditional authorities, providing a strategic platform for AAK to highlight its investments and plans to drive industrial processing, value addition, and inclusive growth across Ghana’s tree crops sector.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, President, Commercial Development & Innovation and Vice President of AAK AB, Niall Sands, emphasized the transformative potential of the shea sector, saying, “Shea is not just an ingredient; it is a driver of livelihoods, innovation, and industrial growth.
AAK is committed to expanding Ghana’s capacity for value-added shea, supporting over 230,000 women collectors, and creating sustainable jobs. Our goal is to position Ghana as a globally competitive hub for shea and tree crops.”
AAK highlighted that shea sourced from Ghana now serves as a trusted ingredient in global food, confectionery, and cosmetics markets, underpinned by decades of investment in processing technology, quality systems, innovation, and market development.
Sustainability and social impact remain central to AAK’s operations. Through its direct sourcing programme, the company currently supports over 230,000 women shea collectors in Ghana, strengthening incomes, improving safety, and building resilient communities, while promoting environmentally responsible parkland management.
At the Summit, AAK outlined its strategic focus on scaling industrial processing, promoting innovation and skills development, expanding sustainable sourcing, and advancing sector wide resilience through reforestation and environmental stewardship. The company plans to establish innovation academies to enhance SME viability and youth employability, while leveraging world-class technology to increase local processing capacity, create jobs, and boost Ghana’s export competitiveness.
The Summit was officially opened by H.E. John Dramani Mahama, President of the Republic of Ghana, who reiterated the government’s commitment to reposition agriculture and tree crops as a driver of industrialization, job creation, and export diversification. Echoing this call, Tree Crops Development Authority CEO, Dr. Andy Osei Okrah, described the Summit as a strategic platform to move the sector from fragmented development to coordinated, competitive, and sustainable growth, supported by strong regulation and private capital mobilization. “Transformation cannot happen in isolation. It requires policy coherence, private capital, institutional coordination, and shared commitment,” he noted.
The Summit attracted high level participation from government, development partners, diplomatic missions, industry leaders, and traditional authorities. Organisations represented included the World Bank, represented by Michelle Keane; the Council of Palm Oil Producing Countries (CPOPC), Indonesia, represented by Secretary General Izzana Salleh; the Swiss Ambassador to Ghana, Simone Giger; the Danish Ambassador to Ghana, Jakob Linulf; the Minister for Food and Agriculture, Eric Opoku; and traditional authorities including the Nkoranza Hene, Kwame Baffour IV, representing Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, the Asantehene.
Through its participation, AAK reaffirmed its confidence in Ghana’s potential to emerge as a globally competitive hub for value-added shea and tree crop processing, supporting inclusive economic growth, sustainable livelihoods, and industrial transformation.
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