The Nigerian Institute of Leather and Science Technology, based in Zaria, Kaduna State, has stated its plans to set up mini tanneries in each of the 36 states, aiming to transform hides and skins into valuable leather.

NILEST’s Director-General, Prof. Mohammed Yakubu, on Sunday in Abuja according to NAN, said the tannery project seeks to boost the industry by establishing infrastructure and incorporating modern technology for efficient leather processing.

Yakubu, who also heads the National Leather Policy Implementation Committee, said, “Leather is a significant national resource with the potential to generate foreign exchange and create substantial employment opportunities.”

He highlighted the need to reduce domestic consumption of hides and skins as “Kpomo,” explaining that the limited capacity of existing tanneries means much of the country’s hides and skins end up in the food market rather than as leather products.

“We are eating the hides and skin as ‘Kpomo’ because the available industries cannot mop all the hides and skin produced in Nigeria,” Yakubu noted, adding, “In Lagos alone, about 100,000 cows are slaughtered daily, yet only 48 industries exist to process this valuable resource into leather.”

He explained that the planned mini tanneries would absorb the excess hides and skins, creating leather products for both local and international markets.

“Our campaign to make people stop eating Kpomo has gone far and wide,” the NILEST DG remarked, “but we also understand the livelihood concerns for those who sell it. In the interim, we at the institute are stepping in to buy and process hides and skins, converting them into leather ready for export.”

The mini tanneries are projected to process between one to five tonnes of leather weekly, with clusters across the country targeting products that can be locally manufactured.

NILEST also disclosed its plans to sell unprocessed leather to other regions such as the South East, South West, Jos, and Kano.

Experts have reckoned with the economic potential of Nigeria’s leather industry as a study by the Nigerian Economic Summit Group put its annual export potential at over $1bn.

Yakubu emphasised that NILEST would continue pushing the Federal Government for concessions in important areas like affordable power.

He said, “For Nigeria to compete with countries like China, Brazil, or India, a reliable and cost-effective power supply is essential.”