EATING PONMO IS KILLING NIGERIA’S $5BN LEATHER INDUSTRY — FG BLASTS CONSUMERS

By Ademola Adekusibe
13th November 2025

The Federal Government has issued a stern warning to Nigerians over the continued consumption of hides and skins, popularly known as ponmo, saying the practice is crippling the country’s leather industry, currently valued at about $5 billion.

Speaking at the National Campaign Against the Consumption of Ponmo held on Thursday in Abuja, the Director-General of the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC), Prof. Nnanyelugo Ikemounso, said the unbridled appetite for ponmo is depriving local industries of vital raw materials needed for leather production and export.

“From an economic and industrial standpoint, cowhides are among Nigeria’s most valuable raw materials,” Ikemounso said. “Yet, instead of feeding our industries, many Nigerians are feeding their cravings. The continuous diversion of hides for ponmo consumption weakens our tanning and leather manufacturing sector and undermines Nigeria’s competitiveness in the global market.”

He revealed that the Nigerian leather goods market was valued at $2.79 billion in 2024 and is projected to grow to $4.96 billion by 2033. “If we continue eating what should be industrial input, this growth will remain a pipe dream,” he warned.

Beyond the economic threat, Ikemounso also raised serious health concerns, noting that many hides processed for consumption are treated with harmful chemicals such as formalin and diesel, substances that can cause organ damage and increase cancer risk. “Ponmo offers very little nutritional value. It is mostly collagen, with negligible protein or micronutrients. Nigerians are consuming a potential health hazard while simultaneously crippling a major industry,” he said.

The campaign, launched under the slogan “Wear, Not Eat Your Leather,” aims to shift public perception and ensure that hides and skins are channelled into productive industrial use for national benefit.

The government stressed that the initiative is not meant to attack cultural or dietary choices, but to protect a sector with enormous potential for job creation, export revenue, and economic growth.

“Nigeria’s leather industry is one of the country’s most promising non-oil sectors,” Ikemounso said. “Yet the popularity of ponmo has repeatedly hindered our ability to fully exploit these opportunities. It’s time for Nigerians to choose industrial growth over culinary indulgence.”