Shea Butter Certifications Explained
What each shea-relevant standard is, who typically asks for it, and EMI Agro's status as published on the quality page.
Summary
- Standards profiled
- 9
- EMI status source
- Certifications & Quality
- EMI status page
- Certifications & Quality
- Related product standard
- NIS 571:2013
How to read these profiles
Each profile covers what the standard is, who typically asks for it, what it is not, and EMI's status. Status words match the quality page — registered, approved, in progress, in pursuit — and are not the same as “certified”. Global Shea Alliance is a membership, not a certification.
This page explains the standards for any supplier. EMI Agro's own held and in-progress status lives on Certifications & Quality and is repeated here as one line per profile. A certification is only as good as the current certificate: ask for the issuer, number, scope and expiry.
NAFDAC
- What it is
- Nigeria's federal regulator for food, drugs, cosmetics and related products. NAFDAC registers facilities and products placed on the Nigerian market; the mark is a registration, not a quality grade.
- Who typically needs it
- Any food or cosmetic product sold in Nigeria, and many export files that ask for the origin-country product registration.
- What it is not
- Not COSMOS, not organic, and not a substitute for a batch Certificate of Analysis.
- EMI status
- Registered
NAFDAC is the Nigerian product-safety registrar. A NAFDAC number tells a buyer that the facility or product has been entered on the national register; it does not grade free fatty acid, colour or unsaponifiables. Export files often ask for it because destination authorities want the origin-country registration. It is still not a substitute for a batch Certificate of Analysis.
EMI Agro's status for NAFDAC is registered — not “NAFDAC certified”. Current status, and any number or expiry we have published, lives on the quality page.
Sources: [1]
SON
- What it is
- Nigeria's national standards body. SON writes Nigerian Industrial Standards, including NIS 571:2013 for shea butter, and operates product and MANCAP approval for manufactured goods.
- Who typically needs it
- Nigerian manufactured goods and buyers who ask for a SON mark or evidence that the factory works to a Nigerian standard.
- What it is not
- SON approval is not an organic or Halal mark, and NIS 571 itself is a product standard, not a wall certificate.
- EMI status
- Approved
SON writes Nigerian Industrial Standards and runs product and MANCAP approval. For shea butter the relevant product standard is NIS 571:2013. SON approval and NIS 571 are related but not the same thing: one is an organisational approval, the other is the document the factory manufactures to.
EMI Agro's status for SON is approved. See Certifications & Quality for EMI Agro's certification status and shea butter specifications for the parameter ranges that sit under NIS 571.
Sources: [2]
HACCP
- What it is
- Hazard analysis and critical control points — a food-safety system that identifies hazards and the steps that control them. It is a factory system, not a product seal on a drum.
- Who typically needs it
- Food manufacturers and many cosmetic contract manufacturers that ask suppliers to run a documented HACCP plan.
- What it is not
- Not a product grade and not the same as being ISO 22000 certified. HACCP principles sit inside ISO 22000; the two are not interchangeable labels.
- EMI status
- In progress
HACCP is a factory food-safety system built on Codex principles. It names hazards and the steps that control them. It does not appear as a grade on a drum and it does not make a lot organic or Halal. Many food buyers, and some personal-care contract manufacturers, ask to see the plan or the audit that sits behind it.
EMI Agro's status for HACCP is in progress. No completion date is published. ISO 22000 includes HACCP principles inside a wider management system; it is a separate profile and is not implied by a HACCP line.
Sources: [3]
EU Organic (EOS)
- What it is
- The European Union organic production and labelling regime, often called EOS by buyers. A recognised certifier audits the operator against Regulation (EU) 2018/848 before an organic claim may be made in the Union.
- Who typically needs it
- EU buyers who will label food or cosmetics as organic, or who need organic-status shea as an input.
- What it is not
- Not COSMOS, not USDA NOP, and not a quality grade. “In pursuit” is not an organic product claim.
- EMI status
- In pursuit
EU Organic — buyers often say EOS — is the Union organic production and labelling regime under Regulation (EU) 2018/848. A recognised certifier audits the operator. The regulation is a claim regime: it matters when the goods will be sold as organic in the EU, not when they are sold as conventional shea butter with a COA.
EMI Agro's status for EU Organic is in pursuit. That is not an organic product claim. COSMOS is a cosmetic scheme, not a synonym for EU Organic food labelling.
Sources: [4]
USDA NOP
- What it is
- The USDA National Organic Program is the United States organic production and labelling rule. A USDA-accredited certifier audits the operation before an organic claim may be made on goods sold as organic in the US.
- Who typically needs it
- US buyers making an organic claim on the butter or a finished good. Canada often relies on organic equivalence arrangements rather than a second full audit.
- What it is not
- Not a food-safety certificate and not COSMOS. It does not replace a COA.
- EMI status
- In pursuit
USDA NOP is the United States organic rule. A USDA-accredited certifier audits the operation before an organic claim may be made on goods sold as organic in the US. Canada often relies on organic equivalence rather than a second full audit. Destination duty and registration numbers are confirmed on enquiry.
EMI Agro's status for USDA NOP is in pursuit. US buyers who are not making an organic claim still need a batch COA and ordinary FDA or customs documents — NAFDAC and SON do not replace those.
Sources: [5]
COSMOS
- What it is
- A cosmetic organic and natural scheme owned by COSMOS-standard AISBL. Independent certifiers — for example Ecocert or the Soil Association — audit against the COSMOS standard. Ecocert is a certifier, not the standard itself.
- Who typically needs it
- EU, UK and global natural-cosmetic brands that will put a COSMOS signature on a finished product or that specify COSMOS-approved ingredients.
- What it is not
- Not EU Organic food labelling, not USDA NOP, and not a factory food-safety system.
- EMI status
- In pursuit
COSMOS is a cosmetic organic and natural scheme. Certifiers such as Ecocert and the Soil Association audit against it. Ecocert is a certifier, not the standard: a buyer who asks for “Ecocert shea” should be asked whether they mean a COSMOS signature, an organic food certificate, or a private-label audit.
EMI Agro's status for COSMOS is in pursuit. EU Organic and COSMOS can both appear on a European brief; they are not interchangeable.
Sources: [6]
Halal
- What it is
- A dietary and religious compliance mark issued by a recognised Halal body after it audits ingredients, process and hygiene against its own standard. There is no single global Halal certificate.
- Who typically needs it
- Many Middle East buyers, and some South-East Asian buyers, for food and often for personal care.
- What it is not
- Not implied by NAFDAC or SON registration, and not an organic or HACCP certificate.
Halal is a religious and dietary compliance mark issued by a recognised body after it audits ingredients, process and hygiene. JAKIM (Malaysia), SANHA (South Africa) and WHC are examples of bodies buyers name. There is no single global Halal certificate, and NAFDAC or SON registration does not create one.
Many Middle East buyers expect Halal for food and frequently request it for personal care. EMI Agro does not claim Halal.
Sources: [7]
ISO 22000
- What it is
- ISO 22000:2018 is a food-safety management system standard. It incorporates HACCP principles inside a broader management-system frame (context, leadership, documented information, performance evaluation).
- Who typically needs it
- Food manufacturers and some distributors that ask suppliers for a certified food-safety management system rather than a HACCP plan alone.
- What it is not
- Not a product certificate on a batch, and not a substitute for organic or Halal marks.
ISO 22000:2018 is a food-safety management system standard. It incorporates HACCP principles and adds the management-system frame — context, leadership, documented information and performance evaluation. It is a system certificate, not a product seal on a batch.
Food manufacturers and some distributors ask for it. EMI Agro does not claim ISO 22000. Buyers who need a system certificate should read the HACCP profile for the related, narrower request.
Sources: [8]
Global Shea Alliance membership
- What it is
- A trade association for the shea sector. The secretariat is in Accra. Membership coordinates producers, brands and NGOs; it is not a product or system certification.
- Who typically needs it
- Producers, brands and organisations that want to take part in sector standards, sustainability programmes and trade events.
- What it is not
- Not organic, not Halal, not HACCP and not a quality grade on a Certificate of Analysis.
- EMI status
- Member
The Global Shea Alliance is a trade association. Its secretariat is in Accra. Membership coordinates producers, brands and NGOs; it does not attest organic status, Halal status or food-safety status. A buyer who treats a GSA logo as a certificate is reading the wrong document.
EMI Agro lists Global Shea Alliance among its memberships. Current certification status — as opposed to membership — remains on the quality page.
Sources: [9]
Which certifications by market
The table is indicative, not legal advice. Duty, notification and registration sit with the destination's import rules. CPNP and the Responsible Person duty in the EU are product notifications, not butter certifications.
| Market | Commonly requested | Usually not required to import | Profile |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | USDA NOP if an organic claim will be made; otherwise facility or product documents plus a batch COA | Halal uncommon for conventional cosmetics | USDA NOP |
| European Union | EU Organic and/or COSMOS if that claim will be made; HACCP or ISO 22000 may be asked by food and some personal-care manufacturers | CPNP / Responsible Person are notifications, not certifications | EU Organic COSMOS |
| Middle East | Halal often expected for food and some personal care | Does not follow from NAFDAC or SON | Halal |
| Nigeria domestic | NAFDAC registration and SON approval | USDA NOP / COSMOS unless the brand will export that claim | NAFDAC SON |
Duty rates and product registration numbers are destination-specific and are not listed here.
NIS 571 is not a badge
NIS 571:2013 is the Nigerian product standard EMI Agro manufactures to. It is a document, not a wall certificate and not a tenth certification profile. The specifications hub states the parameters.
Explore more
Shea-producing regions
Profiles of Nigerian states and West African countries.
Test methods
AOCS and ISO methods behind a COA.
Certifications & Quality
EMI Agro's own certification status and laboratory.
Certificate of Analysis
A sample batch report.
About EMI Agro
Factory, sourcing model and company facts.
Complete guide to shea butter
Origin, grades, specifications and supply.
Frequently asked questions
References & standards
- National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (accessed 2026-09-13)
- Standards Organisation of Nigeria (accessed 2026-09-13)
- Codex Alimentarius CXC 1-1969 — General Principles of Food Hygiene (HACCP annex) (accessed 2026-09-13)
- Regulation (EU) 2018/848 of the European Parliament and of the Council on organic production and labelling of organic products (accessed 2026-09-13)
- USDA Agricultural Marketing Service — National Organic Program (accessed 2026-09-13)
- COSMOS-standard — the European Cosmetics Organic and Natural Standard (accessed 2026-09-13)
- Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (JAKIM) — Halal Hub (accessed 2026-09-13)
- ISO 22000:2018 — Food safety management systems (accessed 2026-09-13)
- Global Shea Alliance (accessed 2026-09-13)
Last reviewed September 2026 by EMI Agro Industries QC team.
Manufacturer-direct from Ibadan, Nigeria
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Trusted manufacturer
EMI Agro Industries Limited (RC 9364495) presses the butter in Ibadan — we are not a trading company.
Competitive factory-direct prices
Quoted EXW, FOB or CIF — the buyer chooses. You pay the factory, not a chain of middlemen.
Export-ready supply
We ship to European Union, United States, Canada, United Kingdom and Southeast Asia, China, India, Middle East, Latin America. Load ports: Apapa (Lagos) or Tin Can Island (Lagos).
Documented lots
40 tonnes per week of finished shea butter, a Certificate of Analysis on every batch, NAFDAC registered and SON approved.