By Chukwuma Umeorah
Given the potential of the leather industry and its contribution to the economy, the founder, Lagos Leather Fair (LLF), Femi Olayebi has called on the government to invest in the areas of infrastructure and make friendly policies that would boost its growth.
She made this call at the sixth edition of the Lagos Leather Fair which held in Lagos at the weekend. Whilst describing the growth of the Nigerian leather industry as minute, Olayebi said the industry is being hindered by poor infrastructure despite the country’s abundance of raw materials and human capital.
Stressing the potential of leather works to the economy of the country, she added that the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) projects that by 2025, the nation’s local leather industry can have earnings of up to $1 billion, but this cannot be possible if Nigeria does not put the right infrastructures and policies in place.
Olayebi said, “We have the people, the raw materials and the required skill set to grow this industry, but we lack the necessary infrastructure that would enable us as creative designers to continue to add value on leather thereby expanding our market globally. It is time for the government and policy makers in the country to look at how to invest into this ecosystem. They need to create an environment where both local and foreign investors can come in.”
With the theme of this year tagged; “Staying Ahead: Creativity, Collaboration, Commitment”, the LLF has consistently maintained its position as the driving force behind the realization of the untapped opportunities in the Nigerian leather ecosystem and Africa as a whole.
“The LLF has become an iconic platform that gives creative designers and talented individuals a chance to shine and express their uniqueness through the timeless material, leather,” Olayebi explained.
The Fair brought together indigenous brands, emerging and established designers as well as international brands to showcase their products and services while also creating a platform for networking and meaningful connections all aimed at growing the industry.