By Peter Omopo
24th August 2025
Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has inaugurated a multi-billion-naira leather processing and manufacturing hub in Mushin, with a projection to create 10,000 direct jobs and position Lagos as West Africa’s leather capital.
The facility, named after Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, was commissioned on Saturday during her three-day official visit to the state. According to a statement by the governor’s media aide, Gboyega Akosile, the hub is equipped with state-of-the-art machinery capable of mass-producing shoes, belts, bags, packaging materials, and other leather goods.
Sanwo-Olu said the project would generate more than $250 million annually in export earnings when fully operational, while over 150,000 artisans would benefit from training and start-up support to scale their businesses. He added that 70 per cent of job opportunities at the hub would be reserved for women and youths.
“This hub deepens Lagos’ non-oil export drive, empowers artisans, and strengthens our capacity to compete globally. We are committed to protecting and expanding this investment through transparent regulation and modern infrastructure that connects it to fashion districts, e-commerce platforms, and rail services,” the governor stated.
First Lady Oluremi Tinubu hailed the project as a trailblazing initiative aligned with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda to drive industrialisation, digitisation, creative arts, and manufacturing. She described it as “a symbol of partnership between government and citizens to turn challenges into opportunities and build a pathway to prosperity.”
Commissioner for Wealth Creation and Employment, Akinyemi Ajigbotafe, noted that the hub would reduce production costs for local artisans, enabling them to meet bulk orders and compete effectively in domestic and international markets.
