The First Lady, Her Excellency Remi Tinubu, has commissioned a Lagos State leather factory projected to create 10,000 jobs, benefit 150,000 people, and generate about 250 million dollars annually. The factory sources most of its raw hides from northern states such as Kano and Sokoto, which also serve as major suppliers of leather to Europe.
Observers note that while Lagos is transforming raw materials into wealth, the North continues to export only semi-processed hides. With constitutional and regulatory reforms now empowering states to generate their own electricity, stakeholders believe northern governors must embrace embedded power generation to create the industrial base needed to attract investors.
Analysts stress that political will is the missing link. They argue that northern leaders should prioritize electricity projects over non-essential spending so as to revive industries, create jobs, and fully engage the region’s talented youth in driving Nigeria’s economic transformation.