Skilled labour deficit plaguing African leather industry — LLF Convener

By Chukwuma Umeorah
The convener of the Lagos Leather Fair (LLF), Femi Olayebi, has identified a severe shortage of skilled labour as the primary obstacle to the growth of Africa’s leather industry.
He warned that the sector cannot compete globally without addressing gaps in skills and supply chains.
Speaking at the ninth edition of the Lagos Leather Fair at the Ecobank Pan African Centre in Lagos, Olayebi explained that despite growing interest in locally made products, structural challenges continue to weaken the value chain.
“The biggest challenge of all is the lack of skilled labour. Without the skilled hands to transform our dreams into reality, we cannot begin to talk abou...