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World’s most exclusive shea butter.

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The shea belt · South Sudan
Hands holding fresh shea fruit, shea nuts and a calabash of shea butter

Born from South Sudan’s ancient shea forests.

We are South Sudan’s ethical source for wild harvested Nilotica Shea Butter – traceable from tree to jar, crafted to meet the demands of the world’s most discerning brands.

Deep in the shea belt of South Sudan, Vitellaria nilotica trees grow wild, older, richer, and more oleic than their West African cousins. For generations, women have hand-harvested their nuts and passed down the knowledge of their extraordinary healing power.

At Ubuntu, we honour that tradition while building a supply chain that meets global cosmetic, food-grade, and pharmaceutical standards. Every batch is traceable. Every transaction is fair. Every jar carries the integrity of the land it came from.

Where shea grows, life grows.

01 Botany & Taxonomy

What is Vitellaria nilotica?

Vitellaria nilotica is the East African subspecies of the shea tree — a distinct botanical variety that grows exclusively in the wild parklands of the Nile basin.

It is one of two recognized subspecies of Vitellaria paradoxa (formerly Butyrospermum parkii), the other being Vitellaria paradoxa subsp. paradoxa — the West African variety widely traded as commodity shea butter.

The registered INCI (International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients) name is the same designation used for West African shea, since CosIng does not register a separate INCI entry per subspecies. “Vitellaria nilotica shea butter” describes the botanical source and is used as a common or trade name in industry references.

Formulators and regulatory bodies increasingly distinguish this ingredient from its West African counterpart by subspecies and by measurable differences in fatty acid composition, physical properties, and geographic origin — not by a different INCI label.

SpeciesVitellaria paradoxaformerly Butyrospermum parkii
West Africasubsp. paradoxaCommodity shea butter
East Africa · Nile basinsubsp. niloticaUbuntu’s shea butter
Registered INCI name Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter
02 Geographic Exclusivity

Why Nilotica grows only in the Nile basin

Vitellaria nilotica is not a cultivated crop. It is a wild tree species whose natural range is determined by the specific ecology of the East African Nile basin.

Altitude, rainfall pattern, soil composition and the transitional woodland-savannah mosaic found between 600 and 1,200 metres elevation in South Sudan and parts of Northern Uganda define where it grows.

This geographical constraint is absolute. Vitellaria nilotica cannot be meaningfully transplanted or cultivated at industrial scale outside its native range. The trees take 10–15 years to reach fruit-bearing maturity and are protected under Ugandan law, which prohibits felling.

  • 600–1,200mElevation of its native woodland-savannah
  • 10–15yrsBefore a tree bears its first fruit
  • 100%Wild — never cultivated at industrial scale

The world’s commercially significant supply of Vitellaria nilotica shea butter comes from one countrySouth Sudan

03 Fatty Acid Chemistry

The chemical profile that makes Nilotica superior

The functional superiority of Vitellaria nilotica shea butter in cosmetic, pharmaceutical and food applications is rooted in its fatty acid composition.

The elevated oleic acid (C18:1) content — significantly higher than West African shea — is the primary driver of its enhanced skin absorption, emolliency and texture profile.

C18:1Oleic acid
  • 01Enhanced skin absorption
  • 02Richer emolliency
  • 03Softer, smoother texture

Nilotica fatty acid profile

Average composition
  • Oleic acid 57.4%
  • Stearic acid 30.7%
  • Linoleic acid 5.7%
  • Palmitic acid 4.7%
Oleic acidC18:1
57.4%

Primary driver of emolliency and skin absorption. Softens the stratum corneum. Verified Uganda-specific lab data (CSJ/CBI Uganda Shea Market Study, November 2024) puts Nilotica’s average at 57.4%, consistently outperforming West African varieties (40–55%) on this measure.

Stearic acidC18:0
30.7%

Provides emulsion stability and occlusive barrier function. Verified average is 30.7% (range 25–38%). The oleic/stearic ratio in Nilotica gives a softer texture than paradoxa at equivalent temperatures.

Linoleic acidC18:2
5.7%

Omega-6 essential fatty acid. Supports skin barrier function and has documented anti-inflammatory activity relevant to pharmaceutical formulations.

Palmitic acidC16:0
4.7%

Saturated fatty acid contributing to structural integrity and shelf stability without excessive hardness.

Our 10-step quality process.

Ethical sourcing

We buy through women's cooperatives and collector networks at the farm gate.

Wild-collected shea nuts come from South Sudan's Nilotica shea belt. Farm-gate purchasing gives greater visibility over dryness, handling, quality and price before kernels reach production.

Strict inspection

Every intake lot is checked for moisture and visible defects.

Rejected nuts do not enter production. Accepted lots receive a batch code that follows the material through processing, filtration, laboratory release and shipment documentation.

Thorough cleaning

Stones, debris and dust are removed.

Stones, husks, debris and dust are removed before conditioning. Only clean kernels proceed to production.

Gentle conditioning

Kernels are conditioned at 45–50°C.

The kernels are conditioned so they press cleanly. The purpose is to release the fat rather than refine the material.

Cold pressing

Mechanical expeller pressing. No solvent. No heat added at the press.

Expeller pressing extracts the fat mechanically. The solid residue is shea press cake, which can be supplied separately for soap, feed and fertiliser applications.

Double filtration

First 200 microns, then 100 microns.

Crude butter is filtered twice to remove fines before laboratory release and produce export-clean Unrefined Grade A without bleaching or deodorising.

Laboratory testing

Pass means a Certificate of Analysis.

Finished butter is tested for free fatty acid, moisture, melting point and colour. Additional parameters can be reported as specified on the order.

  • Free fatty acid
  • Moisture
  • Melting point
  • Colour
  • Peroxide value where specified
  • Saponification
  • Iodine
  • Unsaponifiable matter where specified

Proper packaging

Food-grade packs, seals, labels and batch codes.

Released butter can be packed in commercial formats and labelled with batch codes and production dates.

5 kg 25 kg 200 kg 1,000 L IBC

Climate storage

Held at 15–20°C and protected from light.

Finished shea butter is stored in cool, dark conditions until container loading.

Export and shipping

Commercial documentation and shipment preparation.

Shipments are accompanied by the relevant Certificate of Analysis, packing list and commercial documentation.

Quotes may be prepared on EXW, FOB or CIF terms. Lead time depends on production, order quantity and onward transport requirements.

“A tree that takes fifteen years to bear, and another ten to give.”

Certifications and quality status

SSNBS

Certified

HACCP

In progress

USDA (Organic)

In pursuit

EU Organic

In pursuit

FairWild

In pursuit

COSMOS

In pursuit

Global Shea Alliance

Member

How buying works.

Order volumes

Any order volume can be requested and is reviewed against current production availability.

Incoterms & pricing

Quotes are prepared according to the selected Incoterm. EXW, FOB and CIF attract different prices because each term includes different freight, insurance or local services beyond the shea butter itself.

Production capacity

Ubuntu Company Limited produces approximately 5 tonnes per week of finished shea butter and can schedule rolling shipments.

Lead time

Lead time is based on production time plus onward transport to the named destination.

Exact lead time depends on the quantity on the purchase order.

Payment terms

Payment terms are confirmed on the quotation. There is no published fixed price per kilogram.

Smiling women shea collectors holding their earnings outside the Ubuntu Ltd collection centre

At the heart of every jar is a woman.