The University of Ilorin has disclosed its plan to commence exportation of multi-purpose shea butter by improving the value chain of the agricultural product as well as to increase the institution’s internally generated revenue (IGR).
The vice-chancellor of the university, Sulyman Abdulkareem, made this known at a meeting with the Kwara state Coordinator of the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC), Lydia Adewumi.
Shea butter is a seed fat from two oily kernels within the shea tree seed, produced from the shea tree, found in East and West tropical Africa. It is processed by grinding the seed into powder, then boiling in water, which leads to the rising of the butter to the top of the water before it solidifies.
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It is used as a fat for cooking in the food industry, used for cosmetic products in manufacturing to make creams and other products to treat and prevent acne, burns, dandruff, dry skin, eczema, and many other conditions.
Abdulkareem submitted that the university is ready to collaborate with the RMRDC to improve the quality and shelf-life of the product, adding that the chemistry department is the one saddled with the responsibility of handling the project.
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He admonished other universities to start working on how to improve shelf life by developing products from farm produce that cannot be preserved, stating that every agricultural product should be processed to the endpoint.
In her response, the coordinator of the RMRDC in Kwara state said the council, as an agency under the supervision of the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology, has the mandate of promoting the development and utilization of Nigeria’s industrial raw materials. She assured the university that RMRDC is ready to support its efforts to promote the shea butter value chain.
