The Federal Government has issued a fresh warning that could shake up one of Nigeria’s most widely enjoyed delicacies, ponmo.
According to authorities, the nation’s growing appetite for hides and skins is now threatening the survival of Nigeria’s multi-billion-dollar leather industry.
The alert came from the Director-General of the Raw Materials Research and Development Council, Prof. Nnanyelugo Ikemounso, during the National Campaign Against the Consumption of Ponmo in Abuja.
Prof. Ikemounso revealed that the continuous diversion of hides and skins for food is depriving manufacturers of the raw materials needed to sustain and expand Nigeria’s leather sector while the stakes are high.
Nigeria’s leather goods market, valued at $2.79 billion in 2024, is projected to nearly double to $4.96 billion by 2033. But that growth, he cautioned, could face a serious threat if ponmo consumption remains unchecked.
“From an economic and industrial standpoint, cowhides are one of Nigeria’s most valuable raw materials,” he said. “The continuous diversion of hides for ponmo consumption weakens our tanning and leather manufacturing sector and diminishes our competitiveness globally.”
The global leather industry is worth between $420 billion and $1 trillion, and Nigeria, he noted, has the potential to claim a larger share if the country protects its raw materials and strengthens its manufacturing base.
Prof. Ikemounso stressed that the campaign is not an attack on culture or personal food choices. Instead, it aims to spark a national rethink about how Nigeria uses one of its most important commodities.
