The Federal Government has warned that the continued consumption of hides and skins, popularly known as ‘ponmo,’ threatens Nigeria’s $5 billion leather industry. At a national campaign in Abuja, the Director-General of the Raw Materials Research and Development Council, Prof. Nnanyelugo Ikemounso, said the practice deprives local industries of essential raw materials for leather production and export.
He noted that Nigeria’s leather goods market, valued at $2.79 billion in 2024, could grow to nearly $5 billion by 2033 if hides are properly utilised. The campaign, he said, is not against tradition but aimed at promoting industrial use for economic growth and job creation.
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Professor Ikemounso also warned that many hides used for ponmo are treated with harmful chemicals such as formalin and diesel, posing severe health risks.
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