The Lagos State Government has unveiled plans to establish a major leather production hub in Mushin as part of efforts to boost local manufacturing, create jobs, and support small-scale businesses and artisans.
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, represented by the Commissioner for Wealth Creation and Employment, Akinyemi Ajigbotafe, made the announcement at the 2025 Lagos Leather Fair. He described the upcoming facility as more than just an infrastructure project, calling it a full-scale ecosystem for skills development and industrial production.
"This hub will be a centre where people can learn, produce at factory-level scale, and grow their businesses," he said. "We're committed to transforming creativity into viable industries and helping entrepreneurs turn ideas into income."
Sanwo-Olu highlighted the leather sector's potential for economic value and job creation, adding that the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF) has been instrumental in offering skills training and seed funding to emerging entrepreneurs. Plans are underway to expand the number of programme beneficiaries next year.
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Themed "Designing for Tomorrow," the Lagos Leather Fair brought together stakeholders across the leather value chain—from artisans and designers to policymakers and tech innovators—to discuss the sector's future.
In a panel session, tech entrepreneur Scott Eneje emphasized the importance of embracing artificial intelligence (AI) and digital innovation to strengthen Nigeria's creative economy. He urged local creatives to take charge of AI development by training systems with Nigerian data to reflect local realities.
He also stressed the importance of tapping into Nigeria's domestic market, noting that while global reach is easier today, the real opportunity lies in winning over Nigerian consumers. "We must focus on scaling within Nigeria," he said. "With a population of over 200 million, that's a market we cannot afford to overlook."
