Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode has projected that the pace of innovations in the leather industry will boost the Nigerian Economic Recovery drive in no distant future.
Governor Ambode, who spoke at the Exclusive Opening of the 2018 Lagos Leather Fair recently, said that with the crop of shrewd, committed, passionate and industrious entrepreneurs presently dominating the sector, the leather industry was on the path of regaining its stance within the Nigerian economy.
The Governor, represented by the Commissioner for Commerce, Industry and Cooperatives, Mrs. Olayinka Oladunjoye expressed hope that the platform provided by the Fair would further proffer practicable solutions for unleashing and harnessing the strengths and potentials within the sector.
He promised that the State Government will continue to enhance the growth of small and medium enterprises whose passionate efforts and trail-blazing solutions complement the State’s business and economic goals.
According to him, the State remained focused on exploring the goldmine in the leather enterprise value-chain, especially in areas where Lagos has a comparative advantage such as the production of finished leather goods for domestic and export markets and development of tanneries.
“As the unarguable commercial, industrial and financial hub and the entrepreneurial melting pot of Nigeria, and West Africa, witha population of over 24million people, and the biggest market for Finished Leather Goods (FLGs), our State will leverage on her strengths and opportunities which include exclusive access to quality raw skins from 12 qualitative abattoirs and large animal population from the northern part of the country and neighbouring countries; extensive domestic retail network; favourable access to distribution networks and supply markets; development of tanneries to increase entrepreneurial action, professional expertise and investments”, the Governor stated.
Ambode informed that the State’s investment drive has been yielding quantum fruits with solid public-private partnership prospects in development of a tannery and leather shoe manufacturing company in Agemowo, Badagry.
He assured participants at the event that Lagos State will continue to empower finished leather-goods producers, stressing that the present administration remains committed to fostering the development of the sector.
