By Adeyemi Saheed
The Osun State Office of the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC) has called on stakeholders in the leather and leather products sector to participate in the 2nd Raw Materials Summit 2026 during an industrial visit to Irhobome Shoe Making Hub in Ayegbaju Market, Osogbo, recently.
The visit, led by the State Coordinator, Mr. Adeyemi Saheed A., also provided an opportunity for the Council to assess the enterprise’s production processes, raw material sourcing patterns, and value addition activities as part of efforts to promote indigenous industrial development in the leather sector.
Received by the Chief Executive Officer of the enterprise, Mrs. Oghenefegor Odhmor, the RMRDC team was briefed on critical operational challenges affecting the business, including limited access to modern equipment such as skiving and industrial sewing machines, as well as difficulties in sourcing quality raw materials locally.
Mrs. Odhmor explained that most of the company’s inputs are procured from Lagos, a situation that significantly increases production costs due to logistics and supply chain constraints.
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Speaking during the visit, Mr. Adeyemi commended the entrepreneur’s resilience and the steady growth of the business, noting its strong potential for expansion within the leather industry. He stressed the importance of cluster development and encouraged collaboration among leather entrepreneurs as a strategic approach to attracting targeted support, including shared production facilities, technical assistance and capacity-building programmes.
He further reiterated the Council’s readiness to facilitate linkages that would improve access to raw materials, modern equipment and broader market opportunities. He also extended an invitation to stakeholders to participate in the forthcoming Africa Raw Materials Summit scheduled to hold in Abuja from June 24 to 26, 2026, noting that the event would provide valuable exposure to industry trends, investment opportunities and strategic partnerships.
In her response, Mrs. Odhmor expressed appreciation for the engagement and affirmed her willingness to explore cluster formation with other industry players. She also expressed a strong interest in participating in the summit to expand her business network and gain deeper industry insights.
The engagement focused on identifying practical pathways to enhance productivity, strengthen local sourcing and improve competitiveness within the leather value chain, in line with the Council’s mandate of promoting the sustainable utilization of indigenous raw materials.
Overall, the visit deepened stakeholder engagement, highlighted key intervention areas and established a clear pathway for enhancing productivity, value addition and sustainable growth within Osun State’s leather industry.
