What Is the Difference Between East African (Nilotica) and West African Shea Butter?

Shea butter comes from two subspecies of the same tree, and the butter from each feels different in the hand. West African shea butter is generally firmer. East African butter, called nilotica, is generally softer. This page compares them fairly. It comes from Baraka, which sells West African shea butter made by hand by women at the Konjeihi Women's Enterprise Centre in Wa, Ghana. If you are new to shea, What Is Shea Butter? is a good first read.

What is the difference between East African (nilotica) and West African shea butter?

East African (nilotica) shea butter is generally softer and milder in scent, while West African shea butter, the kind Baraka sells, is generally firmer. Both are real shea butter. They come from the same species of tree, Vitellaria paradoxa, but from two recognised subspecies that grow in different parts of Africa.

Where each one comes from

West African shea butter comes from Vitellaria paradoxa subsp. paradoxa. This tree grows across the savannah of West Africa, in countries such as Ghana, Burkina Faso, Mali and Nigeria. East African shea butter comes from Vitellaria paradoxa subsp. nilotica. That tree grows in East African countries such as Uganda, South Sudan and Ethiopia.

In both regions the butter starts the same way. It is made from the seed of the shea fruit, often called the shea nut. The difference is in the tree, not in the idea of the product.

Why the texture is different

Shea butter is a mix of natural fats. Two of them do most of the work in how the butter feels. Oleic fat is liquid at room temperature. Stearic fat is solid. Nilotica butter generally has more oleic fat and less stearic fat. That makes it softer, and it melts more readily. West African shea butter generally has more stearic fat, so it is firmer and holds its shape better.

These are general patterns, not fixed numbers. The exact mix varies from tree to tree, from season to season and from producer to producer, so we give no figures here. If you want the fatty acids in depth, our shea butter specifications guide has a section on East and West African composition.

Scent and colour

Nilotica butter is often described as milder in scent. West African butter is often described as having a more noticeable scent, especially when it is unrefined. Scent and colour also depend on how the butter was made and handled. Two butters from the same subspecies can still smell and look different. Our guide to refined vs unrefined shea butter explains what that does to the butter.

Side by side

This table uses general facts only. Any single butter can differ from it.

The ingredient name row matters. Both butters use the same INCI name on a label. A label alone will not tell you which subspecies you are holding.

What is nilotica shea butter?

Nilotica shea butter is shea butter from the East African subspecies of the shea tree, Vitellaria paradoxa subsp. nilotica. It is still shea butter. It is not a blend and it is not a different plant. It is the same species as West African shea, grown in a different part of the continent.

What the name means

The word nilotica points to the Nile region. The subspecies grows in a belt of East Africa that includes Uganda, South Sudan and Ethiopia. West African shea trees grow much further west, so the two subspecies are separated by distance.

How it feels and smells

Nilotica butter generally has more liquid oleic fat and less solid stearic fat. In practice that means it is softer, spreads more easily and melts more readily than West African butter. It is often described as milder in scent, which some makers prefer when they do not want the shea scent to come through in a finished product.

What makers use it for

Makers commonly reach for nilotica when they want a soft butter that blends easily. That includes creams, lotions and other products that should feel light and spread without much effort. Some also choose it for a gentler scent. It can be used on its own or blended with a firmer butter to change the texture.

Baraka does not sell nilotica, so this section describes it in general terms. We have no wish to run it down. It is a good butter for the jobs it suits, and many makers around the world use it.

How to tell if a butter is nilotica

Look at the country of origin and ask the supplier. Butter from Uganda, South Sudan or Ethiopia is usually nilotica. Butter from Ghana, Burkina Faso, Mali or Nigeria is usually West African. A good supplier will tell you the origin and, if you ask, the subspecies. If a seller cannot say where the butter came from, treat that as a reason to ask more questions.

Is nilotica shea butter better than West African shea butter?

No, neither is better in general, and the right choice depends on what you are making. Nilotica is not better than West African, and West African is not better than nilotica. They are two kinds of shea butter with different textures, and each suits different jobs.

Which one suits which job

• Soft body creams and lotions: nilotica is often chosen because it is already soft and blends easily.
• Balms and lotion bars that need to hold their shape: many makers prefer West African butter because it is firmer.
• Whipped butters: many makers like the body that firmer West African butter gives. Nilotica gives a softer, lighter result.
• Products where you want little shea scent: nilotica's milder scent may suit you better.

These are habits among makers, not rules. Plenty of good products are made the other way round.

Can you swap one for the other?

Usually yes, but expect the texture to change. If you swap West African butter for nilotica, the result will generally come out softer. If you swap nilotica for West African, it will generally come out firmer. Change one thing at a time, start with a small batch and write down what you did. That way you can see exactly what the swap changed.

What matters more than the subspecies

For most buyers, the subspecies matters less than the quality of the butter in front of them. These are worth checking whichever kind you choose:

• Freshness and storage. Butter that has been stored badly or for too long can smell off. Baraka's shea butter keeps 2+ years when stored properly.
• Refined or unrefined. This changes colour and scent as much as the subspecies does.
• How it was made and by whom. Ask who made the butter and how.
• Paperwork. Ask for the specifications and test information for the exact butter you are buying.

Baraka's shea butter is tested periodically by the Ghana Standards Authority in ISO-accredited laboratories. Product specifications and our latest Ghana Standards Authority test summary are available on request through our product documentation page.

Where Baraka's shea butter fits

Baraka's shea butter is West African (paradoxa) and unrefined. It is made by hand by women at the Konjeihi Women's Enterprise Centre in Wa, Ghana. Baraka is Community Certified Fair Trade, which means it is certified by the community. The women's groups meet each year and vote on whether Baraka may keep using the mark. You can read more in the Impact Report and in the story of the Konjeihi Women's Enterprise Centre.

If you want to know what raw shea butter is and how it differs from a finished product, read What Is Raw Shea Butter?. Raw Shea Butter is sold in pouches and bags, from 0.11 lb (50 g) to 55.1 lb (25 kg), on the Raw Shea Butter page. For larger projects, Imperfect Shea Butter, Bulk B-Grade comes in bulk sizes from 0.55 lb (250 g) to 55.1 lb (25 kg).

If a softer butter is what your recipe needs, nilotica is a fair option from other suppliers. Baraka does not sell it. Our butter suits makers who want a firmer, West African shea butter with a known source.

Have a question about shea butter for your own products? Contact us, or see our bulk and wholesale page.