On February 10, 2026, Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts Minister Abla Dzifa Gomashie honoured entrepreneur Hamamat Montia as Ghana’s Cultural Ambassador for Shea Butter, recognising her efforts in promoting the indigenous industry and empowering women in Northern Ghana. The recognition reflects years of work that go beyond beauty and branding. Through her shea butter enterprise, Hamamat has created sustainable livelihoods for older women whose knowledge, labour, and cultural heritage have long been overlooked.
By placing these women at the heart of her value chain, she has built a business model grounded in culture, dignity, and community impact. The initiative ensures that income stays within local communities, traditional skills are preserved, and generational knowledge is safeguarded rather than lost.
Her efforts gained global attention when popular streamer IShowSpeed visited her Shea Butter Museum. The widely shared moment offered audiences around the world a deeper look at Ghana’s shea butter heritage and demonstrated that the country exports more than raw materials. It exports culture, craftsmanship, story and excellence.
Industry estimates value the global shea butter market at over six billion dollars, yet many stakeholders continue to question how much of that wealth Ghana actually retains. Hamamat has openly encouraged more Ghanaians to enter the shea butter trade, stressing that demand far exceeds what any single producer can supply.
Her recognition as Cultural Ambassador highlights a broader national dialogue on investing in women-led enterprises, indigenous industries, and cultural assets as engines of economic growth. Hamamat’s journey demonstrates that culture and commerce are not opposing forces; when aligned, they strengthen communities and expand opportunities across the economy.
Source: Edward Acquah
