Abuja/Sokoto State, 16-21 July 2016 - Following the official visit to Italy, in February 2016, of an high-level institutional delegation of the Sokoto, State located in the north-west of Nigeria, UNIDO ITPO Italy participated in a mission aimed at evaluating the potential of the local tanning and leather sector and the opportunities for establishing synergies with Italian companies.

The mission was organized in response to an official request of the Sokoto’s Government to the newly established UNIDO ITPO Nigeria and it is part of a wider project of UNIDO HQ aimed at assisting the Nigerian Ministry of Industry Nigerian NIRP in implementing the industrial development plan of the country.

The delegation was led by the Head of the ITPO Nigeria - Adebisi Folashade Philo Olumodimu, with the involvement of Andrea Carapellese - Investment Promotion Expert at UNIDO ITPO Italy, Julien Schmitt - CTA at UNIDO HQ’s Project supporting NIRP, Bashir Danyaro – leather sector’s local expert, Kunle Olorode and Blessing Awerikihi from the Ministry of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Alhaji Mustapha – Energy Sector Expert at UNIDO Regional Office in Abuja.

During the mission, the delegation took part in over 20 meetings with institutions, associations and local companies in the tanning and leather production sectors, carrying out business meetings and ad hoc technical study tours in order to map the Sokoto’s tanning sector industry. In particular, the main objectives of the mission can be summarized in the following points:

• Identify and select the needs of institutions and private actors in the field of leather processing in the State of Sokoto;
• Identify and map clusters and specific value chains with high growth potential;
• Identify specific projects submitted by local private companies and the possibility of obtaining incentives and grants from local and federal authorities;
• Collect data and key information on the leather sector in the Sokoto State with the aim of creating an ad hoc technical dossier on the topic;
• Formulate and present investments opportunities for international partnerships and guidelines for the short, medium, long-term activities to support the development of the sector.

In the framework of the mission it was also organized an ad hoc event focused on the presentation of the results of the mission. The extended roundtable was attended by the Governor of the State of Sokoto, H.E. RT. Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, the Secretary of State, Prof. Bashir Garba, and by over 100 local stakeholders in the sector, among which ITPO Italy has identified some potential counterparts for partnerships and technology transfer with Italy.

Nigeria, after South Africa, is the main trading partner of Italy in sub-Saharan Africa. In addition, the country is the first West African economy and the second in sub-Saharan Africa and it provides increasing opportunities for exports and investments in crucial sectors for Italian companies. The Nigerian growing middle class is one of the most important growth driver for the country, whose population accounts for the 20% of the total population of the African continent. The close bilateral relations with Italy are facilitated by the social and economic mutual interests and enhanced by the recent launch of the UNIDO ITPO in Lagos, which will strengthen political, economic and social cooperation between Nigeria and Italy through reciprocal visits, continuous high-level contacts and promotion of local investment opportunities.