By Atoyebi Nike
The Lagos State Government has inaugurated a modern leather processing and manufacturing hub in Mushin, a project aimed at transforming Nigeria’s hides and skins into high-value products while generating thousands of jobs.
The hub, formally opened on Saturday by Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, is expected to directly employ 10,000 people and support more than 150,000 artisans across the state, according to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
Sanwo-Olu disclosed that 70 percent of the jobs have been reserved for women and young people, underscoring Lagos State’s drive for inclusive growth. The facility will produce shoes, bags, belts, and other leather goods at a scale unattainable by individual businesses, with an estimated annual export potential exceeding $250 million.
“The true success will be measured by the cobbler in Mushin who earns more for his craft, the tanner in Oko-Oba who now has steady work, and the young designer in Yaba who can finally take her brand to the world,” the governor said.
The project, named in honour of the First Lady, is part of Lagos State’s broader industrialisation agenda to reduce raw material exports and expand local manufacturing capacity.