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By Chukwuma Umeorah
The convener of the Lagos Leather Fair (LLF), Femi Olayebi, has identified a severe shortage of skilled labour as the primary obstacle to the growth of Africa’s leather industry.
He warned that the sector cannot compete globally without addressing gaps in skills and supply chains.
Speaking at the ninth edition of the Lagos Leather Fair at the Ecobank Pan African Centre in Lagos, Olayebi explained that despite growing interest in locally made products, structural challenges continue to weaken the value chain.
“The biggest challenge of all is the lack of skilled labour. Without the skilled hands to transform our dreams into reality, we cannot begin to talk about expanding locally or globally. The value chain, unfortunately, is broken.,” she stated.
Olayebi noted that the fair was established to unite players across the leather ecosystem and expose local brands to wider markets.
She emphasised that participation is strictly based on product quality rather than the size or age of the business, noting that established brands help pave the way for emerging ones.
Lagos State Commissioner for Commerce, Cooperatives, Trade and Investment, Folasade Ambrose-Medebem, stated that the state government would continue to support initiatives that strengthen manufacturing and empower small businesses.
She noted that public-private collaboration remains essential to boosting production capacity and market access.
Omoboye Odu, Head of SME, Partnerships and Collaboration at Ecobank Nigeria, added that the bank prioritises the creative economy because of its potential to generate jobs and drive exports.
She explained that platforms like the LLF help small businesses scale up beyond local or social media sales channels into international markets.
Corroborating this, Adaolisa, Manager at Chris Leathercrafts Nigeria, stated that LLF 2026 provided immense exposure for her brand. She stressed the importance of unity among genuine leather manufacturers to push high-quality Nigerian products to the global stage and distinguish them from synthetic alternatives.
