The Federal Government has cautioned that the widespread eating of hides and skins, popularly known as ponmo, is jeopardizing Nigeria’s multi-billion-dollar leather sector by starving it of essential raw materials.
Speaking at the National Campaign Against Ponmo Consumption in Abuja on Thursday, Director-General of the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC), Prof. Nnanyelugo Ikemounso, said the practice undermines industrial growth and export potential.
“Nigeria’s leather goods market was valued at $2.79 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach $4.96 billion by 2033,” Ikemounso stated.
“But diverting hides to food denies tanneries quality inputs, weakens manufacturing, and erodes our global competitiveness.”
He noted that the global leather value chain is worth $420 billion to $1 trillion annually, and with proper policies and raw material access, Nigeria could capture a larger share driving jobs, forex earnings, and GDP growth.
“This campaign is not about banning tradition or food choices,” the DG clarified. “It’s a strategic push to channel hides into industrial use for national economic benefit.”
Ikemounso also highlighted health risks, describing ponmo as nutritionally poor, mostly collagen with minimal protein or micronutrients.
Worse, many hides are preserved using dangerous chemicals like formalin and diesel.
“These substances cause organ damage and raise cancer risks,” he warned. “Consumers deserve awareness of both the health and economic consequences.”
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