- FG says ponmo consumption is starving Nigeria’s leather industry of essential raw materials.
- RMRDC warns that hides diverted for ponmo consumption weaken export capacity.
- Government highlights major health risks from ponmo processed with harmful chemicals.
- Leather sector projected to hit nearly $5bn but may decline if ponmo demand continues.
The Federal Government has sounded a serious alarm over the continued consumption of hides and skin popularly called ponmo, warning that the habit is undermining the growth of Nigeria’s leather industry, a sector already valued at about $5 billion and expected to expand even further.
Speaking during the National Campaign Against Ponmo Consumption held in Abuja, the Director-General of the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC), Prof. Nnanyelugo Ikemounso, said Nigeria is sabotaging its own economic progress by allowing hides meant for leather production to end up on dinner plates.
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Prof. Ikemounso revealed that the Nigerian leather goods market stood at $2.79 billion in 2024, with projections showing strong growth in the years ahead. But he warned that this growth will stall if industries continue to lose access to hides.
He explained, “From an economic and industrial point of view, cow hides are among the most valuable raw materials we have. Our leather industry has the capacity to create jobs, earn foreign exchange, and significantly support our GDP. But as long as hides are diverted to ponmo production, our tanneries and manufacturers will remain deprived of quality inputs. This weakens our competitiveness in the global leather market.”
According to him, the global leather industry is valued between $420 billion and $1 trillion, and Nigeria could claim a respectable share if the right policies are enforced and raw materials preserved.
Beyond economic loss, Prof. Ikemounso raised major health concerns. He noted that ponmo provides almost no nutritional benefit and, in many cases, exposes consumers to dangerous chemicals used in processing.
He warned, “Ponmo offers very little nutritional value. What is more disturbing is that some of the hides are treated with substances like formalin and diesel, which can cause organ damage and even increase cancer risk.
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To address the issue, the RMRDC launched the campaign tagged “Wear, Not Eat Your Leather,” emphasizing that the aim is not to attack cultural preferences, but to protect a strategic national resource.
He added, “This is not about telling people what to eat. It is a policy-driven effort to prioritise the industrial use of hides, especially because of the huge economic opportunities tied to leather production, job creation, and export expansion.”
Nigeria’s leather sector remains one of the country’s strongest non-oil assets, but experts warn that its full potential will continue to be undermined as long as ponmo maintains its popularity among consumers.
