The Emergence and Performance of Modern Tanning Industries in Kano, 1949 2000

Abstract

The traditional tanneries and the production of leather have long been one of the most important crafts for the people of Kano, and tradition has it that it is the most ancient. However, records confirm that Kano rulers in the 19th century made conscious efforts to encourage and expand these industries. This paper examines the historical development of modern tanneries in Kano from 1949 to 2000. The year, 1949 witnessed the establishment of the first modern tannery in Kano and the year 2000 marked the five decades of the establishment of modern tannery industries. The paper attempts a comprehensive assessment of the operation of the industry in Kano. It also analyses the debates that the foreign managed modern tanneries are viable and are surviving, while the indigenous managed ones are collapsing even though both operate under the same condition of the waves of bad economy blowing right from the middle of the1980s.