The Nigerian Federal Executive Council (FEC) says it will soon publish a comprehensive plan for the country’s leather sector. The draft policy, according to a statement made available by GEM Project Nigeria, has been submitted to relevant ministries from where it is expected to be presented to the FEC for consideration.

The GEM Project focuses on increasing growth and employment in participating firms in Nigeria. The project became effective from July 2013, and will close in September 2018. It focuses on the manufacturing and service sectors, specifically supporting ICT, entertainment, tourism and hospitality, light manufacturing (including agro-processing industries) and construction.

The draft plan, signed by GEM’s Assistant Project Coordinator, Ndah Abu, said the policy on leader production and operation in Nigeria was one out of several steps being taken by the project to ensure that the light manufacturing sector played a significant role in the quest to diversify the nation’s economy away from oil.