The Federal Government has warned that the widespread consumption of animal hides and skins, known locally as ponmo, poses a serious threat to Nigeria’s leather industry, valued at an estimated $5 billion.
Professor Nnanyelugo Ikemounso, the Director-General of the Raw Materials Research and Development Council, issued the caution during the National Campaign Against the Consumption of Ponmo in Abuja on Thursday. He stated that the practice of eating ponmo deprives the domestic leather sector of the vital raw materials required for production and export.
He provided concrete figures to underline the sector’s potential, revealing, “From an economic and industrial standpoint, cow hides are one of Nigeria’s most valuable raw materials. Our nation possesses a vibrant leather industry with enormous potential for job creation, foreign exchange earnings, and contributions to GDP. As of 2024, the Nigeria Leather Goods Market was valued at USD 2.79 billion, with a forecast to grow to $4.96bn by 2033. Sadly, the continuous diversion of hides for ponmo consumption denies our industries access to quality raw materials, weakens our tanning and leather manufacturing sector, and diminishes Nigeria’s competitiveness in the global leather market.”
The government’s campaign, launched under the slogan “Wear, Not Eat Your Leather,” is framed as a strategic economic intervention rather than an attack on cultural practices. The DG sought to clarify the initiative’s intent, stating, “It is important to clarify that this campaign is not against tradition or personal food preference. Rather, it is a strategic intervention to prioritise the industrial use of hides and skins, particularly for leather production, which holds immense potential for economic growth, job creation, and export diversification.”
Beyond the economic argument, significant health concerns were also raised. Professor Ikemounso described ponmo as a food item with little to no nutritional value, being primarily composed of collagen. He delivered a stern warning about the dangerous methods often used to process hides for consumption, explaining, “From a nutritional perspective, ponmo offers very little value. More worrisome, in many cases, hides used for ponmo are subjected to preservation and processing methods involving harmful substances such as formalin and diesel. These pose serious health risks ranging from organ damage to increased risk of cancer.”
The government’s position is that redirecting hides from dinner plates to tanneries is crucial for Nigeria to capture a larger share of the global leather value chain, which is estimated to be worth between $420 billion and $1 trillion.
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