Nigeria strengthens leather sector with digital livestock initiative

Nigeria's Federal Government has stepped up efforts to modernize its livestock sector and strengthen the country's leather industry by promoting digital innovation and greater value addition across the supply chain.

During a working visit to Kano State, minister of Livestock development Idi Mukhtar Maiha unveiled the Kano State Livestock Information Management System (LIMS), a digital platform designed to improve livestock registration, veterinary services, disease surveillance, vaccination records, licensing and farmer support.

Describing the initiative as a major milestone, Maiha said the interoperability between the state and national systems would improve livestock governance, planning and policy formulation through reliable industry data. He also encouraged Kano State to expand the platform to include all livestock value chains, including dairy, poultry, meat production, hides and skins, processors, livestock markets and veterinary professionals.

The minister later visited KANOTAN S.A. tannery industry, where he praised the company's leather processing operations as an example of Nigeria's untapped manufacturing potential.

"I am really amazed at what I have seen today. What we have witnessed here confirms that Nigeria possesses the capacity not only to process its leather locally but to compete globally," Maiha said.

He noted that although Nigeria produces more than 50 million hides and skins annually making it one of Africa's largest producers the country continues to lose significant value by exporting semi-processed leather. He stressed that the government's priority is to encourage complete local processing and the production of finished leather products such as footwear, bags and other leather goods.

"The future of this industry lies in value addition. We must move beyond exporting semi-processed leather to manufacturing finished products that create significantly more jobs and wealth for Nigerians," he said.

Maiha also called on governments to prioritise the procurement of locally manufactured school footwear, arguing that such policies would stimulate domestic production and employment. KANOTAN currently processes up to 50,000 skins daily, employs around 1,000 permanent workers and aims to produce 200,000 pairs of leather sandals this year.

Meanwhile, the National Leather and Leather Products Association of Nigeria (NALPAN) urged the Federal Government to establish strategically located skin collection centres to improve the preservation, grading and supply of quality hides and skins, further strengthening the competitiveness of Nigeria's leather industry.