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The Miracle in Aba Shoe Sector [Video]

January 28, 2019 | by Ndubuisi Ekekwe | 3

A LinkedIn update has something that looks like a real miracle: Aba is going to get a makeover just the way you want it. Yes, those things many have written including yours truly are about to happen in the Enyimba city. If this Leather City Park works, by 2030 Ibom Deep Seaport will be running. Yes, they are connected as building the seaport will become an urgent national project.

Platform Capital is pleased to announce the ground-breaking ceremony of its Leather City Park (“Leather City”) and NIBRA Designs Limited (“NIBRA”) – a shoe production initiative in Ariara market, Aba, Abia. The shoe factory will be the largest in sub-Saharan Africa, leveraging world class Brazilian technology.

The NIBRA facility will launch with an initial capacity of 10,000 pairs a day, growing to 100,000 in 5 years. The project is scheduled to be commissioned by Q4’2019. NIBRA will employ 1,000 people for a start growing to over 5,000 in the medium term. Under secured offtake arrangements for our initial installed capacity, we will serve domestic and international markets. Leather City on the other hand, will provide opportunities to increase productivity and product quality for a significant number of the 120,000 individuals currently in Ariara market.

We at Platform view this as a transformational initiative for the state of Abia, the entire South-East region and is a testament to Nigeria’s tested entrepreneurial spirit. Our sincere appreciation goes to our partners who have made this possible.

This represents further validation of Platform Capital’s growth strategy, where we take a long-term view with a bottom-up approach to value creation.

I welcome Platform Capital, the investor, to Abia State (God’s State) and certainly wish the team the best of luck in my home state. Our governor has waived taxes to anyone investing. I personally took that opportunity and invested in my state. Take advantage of this and invest in Abia. If you have any issue, email me, I will connect you with the government people. We are serious in Abia State on development.

May I note that Obinna Ekekwe is the commissioner of Strategy & Development – he is the best commissioner in the nation!