Ghana loses tens of millions of dollars every year by exporting raw shea nuts instead of processing them locally, and the price of shea nuts has risen by over 25% in the past eight years — squeezing local processors even further. This combination of lost value and rising costs makes the case for an immediate ban on raw exports urgent and undeniable.

Some things are not meant for everyone. What matters most is that cocoa producers are well treated, respected, and rewarded for their hard work. If paying them fairly means chocolate becomes the new caviar, then let chocolate take its place among the luxuries of the world — not because of scarcity alone, but because of justice.

The maiden Zoho Women in Business Summit at the Marriott Accra Hotel celebrated “Smart Women Building Smart Businesses.” Visionary leaders gathered in regal African attire for dialogue, panels, and networking. Keynote speaker Esthy Ama Asante shared OTI’s journey of resilience, scaling black soap and shea butter production, and pioneering co‑opetition with smart tools like Kloe, OTI’s AI assistant, to drive sustainable growth.