By Bisi Bamishe
Leadway Assurance Plc, Nigeria’s leading non-banking financial and wellbeing conglomerate, has escalated its support for the growth of Nigeria’s creative industry and SMEs by sponsoring the largest leather exhibition in Nigeria, the Lagos Leather Fair (LLF), for the fourth consecutive year.
The Lagos Leather Fair, now in its ninth edition, will hold on June 27 and 28, 2026, at the EPAC Center, Victoria Island, Lagos, with the theme “Beyond the Hide: Scaling Value, Building Industry, Driving Growth,”, and will focus on strengthening Africa’s creative and craftsmanship industry and accelerating value creation across the manufacturing chain, a direction that aligns with Leadway’s corporate ethos.
According to Leadway, the support reflects the group’s broader vision of enabling business resilience and sustainable growth for Nigerian enterprises, particularly by advancing Nigeria’s leather and creative manufacturing ecosystem, which has been instrumental in fostering Nigeria’s global soft power and actualising the country’s export potential.
Speaking on behalf of Leadway Group on the Fair, MD/CEO, Leadway Pensure, Olusakin Labeodan, said: “SMEs are the critical drivers of Nigeria’s economic growth, innovation, and generational wealth creation. The leather industry provides huge opportunities for our young entrepreneurs and creative minds to be part of a vibrant, resilient and incrementally growing value retention economy, and this aligns strongly with Leadway’s commitment to enabling sustainable enterprise growth on the continent.”
According to a 2025 UNIDO report, Nigeria processes over 750,000 metric tonnes of raw hides and skins annually, much of which is exported as low-value raw material, highlighting a significant opportunity for value retention and industrial development within the sector.
“It is within ecosystems such as this, where the potential for transformation is high, that Leadway continues to deepen its engagement and support,” he further stated.
As part of its sponsorship, Leadway will engage stakeholders at the event and showcase financial solutions tailored to the needs of individuals, SMEs and creative businesses, highlighting the brand’s consistent dedication to equipping entrepreneurs with the tools, knowledge, and resources they need to build resilient businesses, navigate challenges, and achieve sustainable long-term growth.
The Lagos Leather Fair, launched in 2017, has grown into a key industry platform within Africa’s leather value chain.
Leadway noted that the LLF has over the years brought together designers, manufacturers, suppliers, and stakeholders across the ecosystem, supporting businesses and promoting social culture, engagement, and quality networks amongst business owners.
