The founder of Ghana’s Shea Butter Museum, Hamamat Montia, sits with broadcaster Bola Ray to shed light on the growing global attention surrounding shea butter following YouTube star iShowSpeed’s viral visit to the museum.
Speaking in an interview, Hamamat said the recent buzz has helped draw renewed attention to the cultural, medicinal and economic significance of shea butter, which she described as a heritage passed down through seven generations of her family. She noted that her great-grandmother began the tradition, with successive generations producing and exporting shea butter from Ghana.
Hamamat explained that beyond cosmetics, shea butter has long been used across Africa as medicine and food. Traditionally, she said, it served as a natural healer, lubricant and protective balm, with applications ranging from easing childbirth to treating ulcers and shielding the skin from harsh weather conditions. Shea butter, she added, is even a natural sun protector.
She highlighted that the shea tree grows in 21 African countries, forming what is known as the “shea belt,” stretching from Ghana to South Sudan. Despite regional differences, Hamamat said the butter produced across these countries shares similar healing properties.
Bola Ray praised Hamamat’s work, describing the Shea Butter Museum as a project that has already gone global. Hamamat confirmed that international demand for shea butter continues to rise, particularly in the cosmetics industry, with Ghanaian shea butter ranked among the most sought-after worldwide.
She said the museum’s mission remains focused on education, preservation of tradition and positioning Ghana as a leading force in the global shea industry.