In the Gbêkê savannah, shea will no longer leave the region to be processed elsewhere. It is now being treated on site, in Kongodekro. This Monday, members of the Government, prefects and traditional leaders attended the inauguration of Beta Veg Oil. Two founders, Mounir Fakry and Pierre Ali, created the factory. It specializes in the solvent extraction of shea and soy. Its promoters claim that it is the largest unit of this type in Ivory Coast, with a capacity of 70,000 tonnes of raw materials per year. The site already produces shea butter. It then plans refined soybean oil and meal for animal feed.

The plant also highlights its ecological profile.From the laying of the first stone in January 2025, the project was presented as the first carbon neutral factory in the country. This approach is part of the vision of the Ministry of the Environment and Ecological Transition, which wants to reconcile industrial growth and climate protection. The social aspect is just as important. The factory announces 450 direct jobs, to which must be added 250 day laborers already mobilized, according to the Minister of Commerce, Industry and Crafts. It also concerns shea collectors and soy producers in Gbêkê. The project was born from the “Investing in Bouaké” forum and is part of the “Bouaké Nouveau” municipal program. This program aims to transform 50% of regional agricultural production on site and create more than 10,000 direct industrial jobs by 2030.Mayor Amadou Koné also announced that the second phase of expansion would start in December.

With Beta Veg Oil, Bouaké displays a clear ambition, to maintain added value on its territory. It remains to keep the promises on jobs, income for collectors and the ramp-up of production.