The Nigerian Institute of Leather and Science Technology (NILEST) has confirmed plans to establish mini tanneries in every state across the country to process hides and skins into leather products. This move is part of the institute’s broader strategy to revive Nigeria’s once-thriving leather industry, which has been plagued by infrastructure challenges and a lack of modern processing facilities.
Mohammed Yakubu, NILEST’s Director-General and Chairman of the National Leather Policy Implementation Committee, announced the initiative, stating that the country needs more tanneries to develop the infrastructure and technology necessary to fully capitalize on its leather industry. “Nigeria is not unknown in the area of leather products,” Yakubu said. “We used to have 84 leather industries, and some even had branches in Italy and Spain. The Nigerian leather industry had branches in Europe. We want that to come back.”
The Nigerian leather industry, which once enjoyed significant international success, has faced a gradual decline due to poor infrastructure, particularly unreliable power supply. Yakubu emphasized that while the country possesses the technology to excel in leather production, the lack of proper infrastructure has hindered its growth. “The Nigerian leather industry had collapsed because of poor infrastructure,” Yakubu explained. “We are working with the government to make sure that more tanneries are built to provide the right infrastructure.”
One of the most pressing issues facing the leather industry is the high cost of power, which accounts for more than 50 percent of production expenses. “For Nigeria to compete with China, Brazil, or India in the leather industry, there must be a cheap and regular supply of power,” Yakubu said. He urged the Nigerian government to provide affordable electricity to the industry to level the playing field with foreign competitors. “We must provide cheap power to our industries, particularly the leather industries,” he stressed.
Yakubu’s call for affordable power is part of NILEST’s broader efforts to revitalize the industry. He pointed out that the lack of reliable power has been a major obstacle to the development of the leather sector, particularly in terms of processing capacity. “What’s important is to employ our teeming youths and attract foreign exchange,” he said. “Whatever concession is given to the industries will never be a waste.”
Another key aspect of NILEST’s plans is to address the issue of overconsumption of animal hides, which are often consumed as “ponmo” (a type of cowhide delicacy) due to the limited capacity of local industries to process the surplus hides and skins produced in the country. Yakubu explained that the demand for ponmo has surged because existing processing facilities are unable to handle the large quantities of hides available. “We are eating the hides and skin as ponmo because if we don’t eat it, the available industries cannot mop all the hides and skins produced in Nigeria,” he said.
He further highlighted that Lagos State alone slaughters approximately 100,000 cows daily, yet there are only 48 industries capable of purchasing and processing the hides. This imbalance has led to a glut of unprocessed hides, which in turn has contributed to the rise in demand for ponmo as a food product. “Lagos slaughters 100,000 cows daily, but only 48 industries are available to purchase and process these hides,” Yakubu noted.
To help address this surplus, Yakubu emphasized the importance of setting up mini tanneries that can process smaller quantities of hides on a weekly basis. “In the interim, we are going to have mini tanneries all over Nigeria so that we can buy the hides and skins, process them into leather, and export the leather,” he explained. These mini tanneries, according to Yakubu, would be able to process between one to five tonnes of leather per week, with the focus on producing leather products for both domestic use and export.
Yakubu’s vision for mini tanneries aims not only to tackle the overconsumption of hides as ponmo but also to create employment opportunities, particularly for Nigeria’s youth. He noted that the establishment of these facilities would reduce the pressure on existing industries and provide a more sustainable solution to the nation’s leather processing challenges. “We want to employ our youths and make sure that we have industries that will buy the hides,” he said.
Despite these efforts, Yakubu acknowledged that the broader challenges facing the leather industry will not be easy to overcome. He reiterated that addressing the power issue remains the most critical aspect of revitalizing the industry. “With this problem, it is not going to be an easy task for the industries to come back to life,” he admitted.
The NILEST initiative to establish mini tanneries is also a part of the broader efforts by the Nigerian government to boost non-oil sectors like agriculture and manufacturing. By processing hides locally and adding value to raw materials, the plan aims to reduce Nigeria’s reliance on imported leather products and generate foreign exchange through exports.
In conclusion, Yakubu expressed confidence that, with the right government support and infrastructure improvements, the Nigerian leather industry can regain its former glory. “We are not talking about just reviving the leather industry; we want to make Nigeria a global leader in leather production,” he said. “It will take time, but with the right policies and support, we can get there.”
