FG Hands Over Leather Enterprise Centre to Kano College

The Honourable Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, has said the Federal Government is repositioning Nigeria's leather value chain to unlock billions of dollars in investment, create jobs, and transform the livestock sector into a major driver of economic growth.

Speaking during the formal handover of the Leather Enterprise Centre to the Audu Bako College of Agriculture, Dambatta, Kano State, the Minister described the facility as a strategic investment in skills development, innovation and enterprise that will equip young Nigerians with industry-relevant competencies while strengthening one of the country's most promising non-oil value chains.

Maiha noted that Nigeria produces over 50 million hides and skins annually, with Kano processing more than 80 per cent of the nation's leather. He said the global demand for Nigerian leather presents enormous opportunities for export earnings, wealth creation and industrial development.

"The future belongs to value addition. This centre will nurture the next generation of entrepreneurs, processors and innovators who will drive the growth of Nigeria's leather industry," he said.

The Minister urged students of the college to embrace entrepreneurship rather than job seeking, assuring them of the Ministry's commitment to working with development finance institutions and state governments to facilitate access to financing and other productive assets for viable agribusiness ventures.

He also challenged the College to manage the facility efficiently and transform it into a centre of excellence for practical training, research, business incubation and leathers processing.

"Let this centre become a beacon of innovation and excellence, producing skilled graduates, supporting entrepreneurship, fostering research, and contributing significantly to the growth of the leather industry in Kano State and across Nigeria. 

"I encourage stronger partnerships between the college, industry operators, development partners, financial institutions, and other stakeholders to ensure that the centre remains responsive to evolving industry needs and serves as a catalyst for economic transformation," Mukhtar said. 

Representative of the Kano State Government and Commissioner, Ministry of Livestock Development, Dr. Aliyu Isa Aliyu, commended the Federal Government’s intervention, describing the Leather Enterprise Centre as a strategic investment that will stimulate innovation, value addition, youth empowerment and industrial growth across Kano State and beyond.

This Centre will provide practical training, foster innovation and entrepreneurship, enhance research and equip beneficiaries with skills required to transform our abundant hides and skin into high-value products for both domestic and international markets," he said. 

Earlier, the Acting Provost of Audu Bako College of Agriculture, Dr. Hassan Ibrahim, described the handover as a historic milestone that would bridge existing skills gaps, improve graduate employability and deepen collaboration between academia and industry through a sustainable public-private partnership model.

The Minister was conducted round the Centre, which will be deployed by the College for training, skills development, and enterprise promotion within the leather value chain, where he inspected key sections of the facility and familiarised himself with its equipment and operational components.

Henrietta Okokon
Deputy Director, Information and Public Relations 
3rd June, 2026