Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Saturday inaugurated a multi-million-dollar industrial leather processing and manufacturing hub in Mushin, designed to create 10,000 direct jobs and boost Nigeria’s non-oil export earnings.
The facility, named after Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, was commissioned during her three-day official visit to Lagos. Equipped with state-of-the-art machinery, the hub is expected to generate over $250 million in annual export turnover at full capacity.
Sanwo-Olu said the project would provide artisans, especially women and youths who make up 70 per cent of the workforce, with the tools and training to scale their businesses and meet international standards. He added that over 150,000 artisans would also benefit from specialised training and start-up support.
“From today, hides and skins that once left our shores unprocessed will be transformed here in Lagos into world-class footwear, garments, and accessories proudly stamped ‘Made in Lagos, Made in Nigeria’,” the governor said.
First Lady Oluremi Tinubu described the hub as a symbol of how government and citizens can turn challenges into opportunities, stressing that it aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda for economic diversification.
“This project will empower artisans, strengthen small businesses, and promote the consumption of locally made goods. It is also a centre for training, enabling our people to compete confidently in local and international markets,” she said.
Commissioner for Wealth Creation and Employment, Hon. Akinyemi Ajigbotafe, noted that the hub’s advanced leather-processing and footwear-making technology would reduce costs for local artisans while enhancing product quality to meet global standards.
The Mushin leather hub is projected to become West Africa’s leather logistics capital, linking Lagos to fashion districts, e-commerce platforms, and global markets.