The Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, has called on the Nigerian Institute of Leather and Science Technology (NILEST) to provide comprehensive statistics on the institute's activities, prospects, and challenges to facilitate the development of a robust business portfolio for Nigeria’s leather industry.
The Minister made this call in Abuja on Wednesday during a courtesy visit by NILEST’s Director General and Chief Executive Officer (DG/CEO), Dr. Avwal Mustapha Imam, and his team.
"We want to expand our value chain int leather production, but we need accurate statistics to work with. How many companies are producing shoes in Nigeria? At what stage are we exporting leather? Are we facing raw material shortages? What is the level of production in key hubs like Aba (Abia State), Nnewi (Anambra State), and Sokoto? Who constitutes the primary market - school children, women, or men?"
He stressed that with Nigeria’s population exceeding 250 million and about 40 million schoolchildren alone, there is a significant domestic market for leather products.
The Minister also noted the importance of data on skin collection centers, the quantity of hides and skins generated during festive periods like Sallah, and the sector's revenue potential.
He projected that with the right investments, the leather industry could generate over 700,000 jobs nationwide.
Mukhtar assured NILEST of the Ministry’s full support and collaboration to develop a globally competitive leather industry.
In his remarks, Dr. Avwal Mustapha Imam called attention to the strategic importance of the leather sector to Nigeria’s economy, citing its substantial export earnings, job creation potential, and conducive environment for sustained growth.
“Nigeria has a vast livestock population, providing immense opportunities in the leather industry. However, discrepancies in production and consumption data remain a challenge,” Imam noted.
The DG/CEO further outlined key areas of potential collaboration with the Ministry to include "development of Nigeria’s leather value chain, Implementation of the National Leather and Leather Products Policy, and strengthening NILEST’s capacity for training and research in leather technology.
He further revealed that the Nigeria Economic Summit Group (NESG) projects the leather sector could generate up to $1 billion in revenue by 2025.
Imam urged the Ministry to work closely with NILEST to address challenges that hinder the industry's contribution to the National Gross Domestic Product (GDP).