a post event report on Nigeria's foremost international leather fair for the footwear and leather industry. It details a brief summary of input from all participating stakeholders at the Expo.

1. ROYAL EVENT CENTER, | LAGOS |
September 29 – 30, 2016
Made In Nigeria Shoe Expo (MINSE)
POST EVENT REPORT
Institutional Partners Media Partner

2. LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS
Center for Entrepreneurial Studies CEDS
Covenant University CU
Made In Nigeria Shoe Expo MINSE
National Research Institute for Chemical Technology NARCIST
Raw Material Research Development Council RMRDC
Raw Materials Information System RMIS
Finished Leather Good’s FLG’s
Small and Medium Scale Enterprise’s SME’s

3. TABLE OF CONTENTS
Executive Summary 4
Event Outlook at a glance 6
Percentage configuration
Geographic coverage
Key Attendees at the Expo 7
Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies
Footwear and leather manufacturers
International Development Partners
Contributions 8
Raw Material Research and Development Council
Promoting the Development and Utilization of Indigenous Raw Materials for Leather and
Footwear Industries in Nigeria.
Covenant University – Center for Entrepreneurial Studies 12
Entrenching Quality compliance on the Basis of Robust Business Expertise
Recommendations 14
Access to Information on raw materials
Sensitization
Quality Compliance
Conclusion 15
Appendix
Appendix A : Photo reel
Appendix B : Presentations (Available on request)

4. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Made in Nigeria Shoe Expo is a unique platform created by LOGSAMES
LIMITED, organizers of the Nigeria Non-Oil Exportable Products Trade fair to properly
harness vibrant opportunities available in Nigeria’s Footwear and leather sector. With
over a decade of experience in organizing business related events, we have come to
realize that until we take a sectoral approach to tradeshows, we might not be able to
maximize the opportunities available in each sector. This accounts for our sector focus
on the footwear and leather industry.
The choice of footwear and leather sector is due to its value chain and value
addition orientation – which proffers the best hope to addressing unemployment, and
moving away from raw material export to finished products. At every stretch of the
value chain, we find manufacturing concerns that could if properly encouraged, help to
drive sustainability within the sector. In addition, the contribution of this sector to
national GDP has been on the increase and happens to be a low hanging fruit for the
government to nurture in promoting the growth of Non-Oil sector in Nigeria.
This edition of the expo saw all stakeholders across the entire value chain in the
footwear and leather sector come together, to once more appreciate progress that has
been made in the sector. This edition saw attendance from relevant government
agencies such as the Raw Material Research Development Council (RMRDC). Input also
came from relevant institutions such as Covenant University – Center for
Entrepreneurial Studies. Exhibitors also included leather tannery like Rainbow
leathers to meet the teeming needs of Finished Leather Goods (FLG’s) producers,
Original Equipment Manufacturers like Star Sewing Machines Limited, who showcased
some its state of art machinery for leather embroidery and stitching and other
footwear and leather accessories producers such as OBA Couture, O-Tega Shoes, and
Tawiskie Leather accessories amongst others.
The plenary sessions at the Expo were drawn from the theme: “Entrenching
Quality Compliance as a tool for development in Nigeria’s Footwear and Leather
Sector”. Raw Material Research Development Council took on the discourse of its role
on sourcing for local substitutes for footwear and finished leather goods production.
Covenant University Center for Entrepreneurial Studies emphasized that there was not
only a dearth of required vocational skill set for sustainable growth of the footwear and
leather industry but even more important was the lack of business expertize by local
producers in the sector.
One major theme that ran through the discourse of the event was increased
sensitization, greater emphasis on quality compliance and strong support from the
government. These ingredients would ensure that whatever progress is attained in the
sector remains sustainable in the long term. Of interest too, was the fact structured
groups of finished leather goods producers as seen at the fair was highly encouraged
as a veritable means to secure government’s attention to the plight of local
manufacturers in the sector especially in a place like Lagos State.

5. In conclusion, we believe the heightened focus on footwear and leather sector
would lead to active participation of all relevant stakeholders in ensuring that we not
only grow the sector, but open it up for more job opportunities, attraction for foreign
investments and an avenue for increased foreign exchange earnings via export.
National Co-ordinator
Nigeria Non - Oil Exportable Products International Tradefair
(Made In Nigeria Shoe Expo)

6. EVENT OUTLOOK AT A GLANCE
Percentage Configuration
14.29% 14.29%
Government Institutions Original Equipment Manufacturers
42.84%
Footwear and Leather Producers
14.29% 14.29%
Leather Tannery Educational Institutions
Geographic coverage
Ogun
State
Abuja
Sokoto
State
Lagos
State

7. KEY ATTENDEES AT THE MADE IN NIGERIA SHOE EXPO (MINSE), ABUJA, 2016
The Made in Nigeria Shoes Expo, 2016 attracted several exhibitors and visitors
including:
A. Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies.
i. Raw Material Research and Development Council - Abuja.
B. Footwear and leather manufacturers
i. Covenant University – Center for Entrepreneurial Studies – Ogun State.
ii. Oba Couture – Lagos State.
iii. O-tega Shoes – Lagos State.
iv. Rainbow leathers – Lagos State.
v. Star sewing machines Limited – Lagos State.
vi. Tawiskie leather accessories – Lagos State.

8. CONTRIBUTIONS
Raw Material Research and Development Council (RMRDC)
Promoting the Development and Utilization of Indigenous Raw Materials for Leather and
Footwear Industries in Nigeria.
Dr. Zainab Hammanga (Director, Investment and Consultancy Services Department)
 The Speaker began her speech by expounding on the phenomenal growth that has been
experienced in the footwear and leather industry with the leather sector alone accounting
for the second largest export earner after crude oil exports in Nigeria.
 She went further to analyze the need for industry stakeholders to examine strategies to also
grow the footwear and finished leather goods sector for bags, belts, shoes, wallets
amongst others.
 Equally, she identified that the current situation where an average finished leather good
comprises over 60% imported raw material remains unacceptable, and that RMRDC is quite
concerned about reversing this trend. In this light, she maintained that RMRDC as the
relevant agency statutorily concerned with sourcing for quality local substitutes/raw
materials would proffer a solution to this challenge. She equally noted that local substitutes
would help reduce the strain on forex required for importation of raw materials readily
available in the country and equally improve foreign exchange earnings of the government
at this point in time.
 She was quick to note that sourcing of raw materials needed for the footwear and leather
industry would require multi-stakeholder engagement. For instance, a number of inputs are
still required from petrochemical industries and refineries are yet to be untapped,
especially for production of lower sole. This accounts for why a number of producer’s having
employed local leather in producing the upper sole, resort to using made in Italy/Spain lower
sole to complete their footwear products, inadvertently placing the Nigerian brand at a loss.
 She enumerated the following as factors that limit sustainable sourcing of local raw
materials:
- Low level of research and development (R&D) activities due to poor funding.
- Poor commercialization of research and development outputs.
- Lack of information on raw materials sourcing due to huge capital outlay required
for consistent data/information gathering and dissemination.
- Lack of sufficient equipment/machinery for raw materials processing and storage.

9.  On the availability of local substitutes/raw material input, the speaker noted it’s a good
initiative to drive the discourse on quality compliance in light of improved local raw
material inputs. She spoke about how feeder industries could emerge, when we all agree
on standardized raw materials input from local sources.
African Growth and Opportunity (AGOA) Act
 The Speaker noted that the initial cycle of the AGOA opportunity had a very abysmal result
owing to lack of synergy amongst the relevant stakeholders as the implementation framework
was only been designed in 2014 a year to its expiration. However, following its renewal in
2015, it would be important for footwear and leather producers to harness export
opportunities available through this scheme.
Industrial Clusters
 The speaker expressed delight at the growing number of micro-enterprises focused on
footwear and leather products in Lagos State. She noted that synergy should be created
with the Lagos State government in situating an incubator/industrial clusters to help
nurture the over 25,000 micro enterprises engaged in footwear and leather production in
the state. She noted that successes and lessons could be drawn from similar clusters that
had been established in Abia and Kano state respectively.
Multi-Stakeholder collaboration
 The Speaker noted that the footwear and leather industry has grown to a level where there
should be identifiable groups and associations even at the state level. She noted that this
was necessary in order to be able to pool ideas and resources together. She also stated that
the principle of public-private partnership (PPP) should be embraced in creating synergy
between public, private and financial institutions would help create an enabling environment
to generate sustainable supply of raw materials for the footwear and leather industry in
Nigeria.

10.  Situating the roles of various Stakeholders
The Speaker took time to highlight the various roles each stakeholder could play in
helping to grow the footwear and leather sector.
Federal Government
- Enforcing industry standards for footwear and leather products.
- Favourable tariff regime for footwear and finished leather goods.
- Provision of consistent power supply to footwear and leather clusters including other
relevant amenities.
- Provision of footwear and leather Information Management System.
- Provision of a revolving fund
State Government
- Co-ordinating data collection and Information management.
- Increased access to Land.
- Promotion of local finished leather goods.
- Provision of soft loans/ credit guarantee.
- Provision of Common Facility Center.
- Provision of rural infrastructure.
- Provision of revolving funds.
Local Government
- Co-ordination of data collection at the primary (ward) level
- Mobilization of raw material producers for accelerated production through
co-operatives.
- Provision of land for new entrants
- Provision of security for project sites
- Provision of basic infrastructure/ amenities.
Private Sector
- Monitoring and Evaluation of government policies
- Provision of assets and machinery
- Provision of raw materials (industrial inputs)
- Quality control of products.

11. Raw Material Research and Development Council
- Raw materials sourcing and development.
- Sourcing of machinery.
- Research and development.
- Co-ordination of MSME’s activities for footwear and leather products.
- Information gathering and dissemination
- Consultancy and brokerage services
- Linking Knowledge centers
Financial Institutions
- Business advisory and development services
- Low interest loans.
- Monitoring and Evaluation.
- Raw materials sourcing and development.
- Sensitization and awareness creation.
Notable achievements of RMRDC in Nigeria’s footwear and leather sector
 The Speaker noted the following milestones as past achievements of RMRDC within the
sector:
- Development of a prototype leather glazing machine in collaboration with Bayero
University, Kano and the National Research Institute for Chemical Technology
(NARCIST), Zaria, Kaduna, to upgrade the indigenous process technology and improve
the quality of locally produced hides and skins for the leather industry.
- Development of a Raw Materials Master Plan to assist with identifying alternative
local substitutes to importation of constituent raw materials.
- Development of a Raw Materials Data Bank for increased access to details on
availability of raw materials.
In conclusion, there must be active participation of all stakeholders in helping to grow
the footwear and leather sector. Government at all levels must be seen as promoting
patronage of locally made finished leather goods at all fora’s. As for the Raw Materials
Research Development Council, its Raw Materials Deletion Programme must be engaged
in substituting imported raw material inputs for finished leather goods. That would be a
profound contribution to the sector and SME’s who would no longer be chasing scarce
forex in meeting production concerns.

12. Covenant University – Center for Entrepreneurial Studies (CEDS)
Entrenching Quality compliance on the Basis of Robust Business Expertise
Dr. Stephen Olumuyiwa (Director, Center for Entrepreneurial Studies, Covenant
University)
 The speaker opened the discourse by outlining the vision and mission of the Covenant
University and its Center for Entrepreneurial Studies (CEDS). He explained that whilst
CEDS attends to developing appropriate vocational skills for various sectors of the
Nigerian Economy, it had identified a gap in dearth of requisite skillsets required for
maintaining profitable businesses. He maintained that CEDS remains a veritable partner
to the footwear and leather sector, and went further to say that whilst a number of local
producers have identified quality compliance as a basis for attracting patronage from
local and international consumers of finished leather goods, if such manufacturers do
not match compliance with robust marketing, then some might resort back to
sub-standard production mechanisms all to the detriment of the sector.
 Citing the example of Macdonalds and its reputation for hamburgers, he noted that a
competitor providing better quality hamburgers would not translate to profit without
sufficient and innovative marketing. He brought that into the footwear and leather
sector where competition extends beyond borders due to globalization.
 He reiterated that quality is not enough, marketing is key. Insisting on quality compliance
without the right mix off marketing would only turn such ‘businesses to a museum’. For
local businesses to compete with foreign competition in the Nigerian market,
entrepreneurs must go beyond the buy Nigeria mantra to employing sophisticated
marketing techniques in placing their products within the purview of the buying public.
Effects of Globalization
 The Speaker reiterated that stakeholders within the footwear and leather industry must
begin to think and strategize from a point of a globalized world. He emphasized that
competition now cuts across borders and so manufacturers must think of how to leverage
competition especially from advanced economies like China. He pointed out that pricing,
quality and quantity are thematic areas to be explored by local producers in fending
off external competition.

13. Innovation
 The Speaker pointed out that innovation is a relevant aspect of how to leverage on
competition. He maintained citing examples from various phases of the ice -age that a
business – as -usual approach to production and even marketing would see to local
producers losing its market share to foreign brands. He noted that manufacturers must
be in touch with consumer needs and identify unique strengths and weaknesses with
respect to their competitors from major footwear and leather markets.
 He went further to re-assure participants that producers must now innovate or risk
losing their businesses especially from external competition coming from countries like
China, Italy, Spain, Turkey amongst others. He noted that local manufacturers must
embrace innovation or keep complaining about consumers patronizing foreign brands
despite attempts towards quality compliance.
Knowledge sharing
 The Speaker noted that producers of finished leather goods must continually seek for
knowledge and take out time to keep up with industry updates in making their brands
stand out. This is necessary so that big investors and mega-enterprises coming to the
sector would not cause a big distortion to this segment of the footwear and leather value
chain.
Technology
 The Speaker informed the audience that there is no way growth can be achieved without
emphasis on acquiring the right technologies for their class of businesses. He cited the
case of 3D machines for producing ‘footwear on demand’, such that consumers now
order and get their choice footwear designs in a matter of hours, this could reduce
market share for showroom owners who work on mass production. He also identified the
need for collaborative efforts from footwear and leather producers in acquiring relevant
equipment’s and machinery.

14. RECOMMENDATIONS
We strongly recommend the following in respect to the Footwear and leather sector in
Nigeria:
A. Access to Information regarding souring of local raw materials:
A more engaging role in providing stakeholders with baseline data and information
regarding sources of local substitutes for producing finished leather goods should be taken
seriously by RMRDC. The Raw Materials Information System (RMIS) is a veritable tool that should
be properly funded and developed to assist businesses, researchers support improved local
content with finished leather goods production in the country.
B. Sensitization:
We believe that the government would play in leading role in this engagement. The
recently passed Public Procurement Act is a good starting point. The sensitization strategy
should have a tripod approach. First is, that key government MDA’s, such as National
Orientation Agency in addressing the erroneous belief that locally made goods are of inferior
quality via intense publicity. Likewise, institutions like Raw Material Research Development
Council could help consolidate gains in the sector by identifying raw materials readily
available locally for improved local content. Secondly, local consumers, who need to
understand that patronizing Made in Nigeria finished leather goods provides same utility as
foreign goods and helps to build the local industry in terms of sustaining jobs creation, and lastly
stakeholders such as footwear and leather associations in the country need to play a prominent
role in presenting challenges of the sector to the government on a consistent basis.
Local consumers need to be duly informed of the progress that has been made with
quality of finished leather goods. Today, finished leather goods are largely accepted within
ECOWAS member states without recourse to questioning the quality. As such Nigerians must
realize that the sector is indeed taking a lead role in providing quality products.
C. Quality Compliance
This is key to development of the sector. All stakeholders at the Expo noted that
manufacturers must take seriously the issue of quality if desired progress is to take place in
the sector. Manufacturers indicated that government support would be needed to educate the
small scale producers on the rudiments for quality compliance. Such programs should be held
close to the major shoe clusters too. Relevant Agencies like the Standard Organization of
Nigeria should be engaged in this regards.

15. The discourse on quality compliance for the footwear and leather sector can only be
sustained with improved business models. It has been identified that quality works must go
side by side with quality marketing from producers such that they can satisfy local consumers
and also keep the message of quality compliance.
Lastly, quality compliance can only be attained on a continuous basis via
multistakeholder engagement between the government and private sector. Thus each
government agency plays a complementary role in the pursuit of entrenching a culture of
quality compliance in the footwear and leather sector in Nigeria.
CONCLUSION
In conclusion, as organizers of the Made in Nigeria Shoe Expo (MINSE), we
congratulate all participants at this event including our institutional partners – Raw
Materials Research and Development Council and the Covenant University – Center for
Entrepreneurial Studies, and several exhibitors at the Lagos premiere of MINSE.
We use this opportunity to inform you that the next bigger and robust edition of
MINSE is scheduled for July 27th
– 29th
, 2016 in Lagos. We look forward to your participation
and kind support, as we work towards a more sustainable and vibrant engagement in
Nigeria’s footwear and leather sector.