Leadway Assurance Company Limited has sponsored the Lagos Leather Fair (LLF) for the fourth year in a row, backing Nigeria's push to turn raw animal hides into finished goods instead of exporting them cheaply.

The leather fair, now in its ninth edition, will hold on June 27 and 28, 2026, at the EPAC Center in Victoria Island, Lagos. The theme is “Beyond the Hide: Scaling Value, Building Industry, Driving Growth.”

This year's focus is on strengthening Africa's creative and craftsmanship industry and speeding up value creation across the manufacturing chain. That direction matches Leadway's corporate ethos, according to a statement from the company.

Olusakin Labeodan, Managing Director and CEO of Leadway Pensure, spoke on behalf of the Leadway Group. He said small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are critical drivers of Nigeria's economic growth, innovation, and generational wealth creation.

“The leather industry provides huge opportunities for our young entrepreneurs and creative minds to be part of a vibrant, resilient and incrementally growing value retention economy,” Labeodan said. He added that this aligns with Leadway's commitment to enabling sustainable enterprise growth on the continent.

A 2025 report from the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) shows why this matters. Nigeria processes over 750,000 metric tonnes of raw hides and skins every year. But much of that is exported as low-value raw material, meaning Nigeria misses out on the money that could come from turning those hides into shoes, bags, belts, and other finished products.

“It's within ecosystems such as this, where the potential for transformation is high, that Leadway continues to deepen its engagement and support,” Labeodan said.

The Lagos Leather Fair brings together leather workers, designers, manufacturers, and buyers. It's grown into the largest leather exhibition in Nigeria. The event also helps small businesses connect with bigger markets and investors.

Leadway's sponsorship covers the fourth consecutive year. The company has been supporting Nigeria's creative economy and SMEs as part of its broader vision of enabling business resilience and sustainable growth for Nigerian enterprises.

The leather industry is one area where Nigeria has a natural advantage. The country has a large livestock population, which means plenty of raw hides and skins. But for years, most of those hides have been shipped out raw, processed elsewhere, and sold back to Nigeria as expensive finished goods.

By supporting events like the Lagos Leather Fair, Leadway is betting that Nigerian entrepreneurs can change that pattern. If more local companies can process hides into finished leather goods, the value stays in Nigeria, jobs are created, and the country earns more from exports.

“SMEs are the critical drivers of Nigeria's economic growth, innovation, and generational wealth creation.”

The fair also fits into Nigeria's broader push to diversify its economy away from oil. The creative and manufacturing sectors are seen as key areas for growth, and the leather industry is one of the most promising.

  • Leadway Assurance has sponsored the Lagos Leather Fair for four consecutive years.
  • The 2026 Lagos Leather Fair is the ninth edition.
  • It holds on June 27–28, 2026, at EPAC Center, Victoria Island, Lagos.
  • Theme: “Beyond the Hide: Scaling Value, Building Industry, Driving Growth.”
  • Nigeria processes over 750,000 metric tonnes of raw hides and skins annually, per a 2025 UNIDO report.
  • Most of that is exported as low-value raw material.

Labeodan's comments underscore the potential. If Nigeria can keep more of that leather value at home, the benefits could be huge for young entrepreneurs and the economy as a whole.