Abuja: The Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) has announced that the Federal Government’s Public Private Partnership (PPP) initiative involving shoe and garment factories is poised to satisfy the uniform requirements of Nigeria’s paramilitary agencies. This development is part of the Nigeria Correctional Service (NCoS) efforts.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, a statement from Ifeanyi Nwoko, Acting Head, Media and Publicity at ICRC, highlighted that the initiative aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s directive to procure locally produced goods, a central element of his administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda. Dr. Jobson Ewalefoh, Director-General of ICRC, noted during a visit by Dr. Jimmy Ntuen, CEO of Erojim Investments Limited, that the Aba-based factory, coupled with an upcoming tannery in Kano, will substantially reduce import dependency, producing 1,500 shoes daily and preparing to fully cater to paramilitary needs.
Ewalefoh underscored the broader implications of this initiative, stating that it is not just about manufacturing shoes and garments but also about job creation, local industry support, and import reduction, all in line with the President’s made-in-Nigeria directive. He described the Renewed Hope Agenda as a strategic blueprint for national self-reliance, local capacity enhancement, and economic growth through effective PPPs.
Ntuen, the concessionaire of the Aba facility, praised the support from President Tinubu, NCoS, and ICRC, which he credited as crucial to the project’s success. He highlighted the factory’s capacity as the largest shoe production facility in West Africa, capable of producing 1,500 shoes and cutting 10,000 garments daily, already supplying high-quality footwear to the NCoS and prepared to serve other paramilitary groups.
The Aba factory has generated over 300 direct jobs, and the new leather shoe and garment facility, set to open in three months, is expected to create an additional 340 direct jobs and over 1,500 indirect jobs. Ntuen emphasized the global standard quality of the shoes produced, showcasing the potential of Nigerian craftsmanship with the right support.
